Hermes, Messenger of Roanapur's Gods
by The Snazzy Hat
Summary: Daniel Harkness wasn't supposed to end up in Roanapur. But now that he's in the world's scummiest city, he has to make the best of it. Or else stare down the barrels of several of Roanapur's biggest guns.
1. Chapter 1

In Roanapur, most people are up to no good. No, scratch that. Everyone in Roanapur is up to no good. Pirates, smugglers, gangsters and murderers are everywhere. In every bar in the villainous hive of a city, guns lie on every table, and there's at least one hooker for every man and enough alcohol to drown both of them. So it was an unusual sight to see a teenager sitting at the bar of the Yellow Flag, but even more curious was the fact that he was wearing a combat helmet with goggles over the top, a bulletproof vest and enough Kevlar to cover him almost from head to toe and hanging over his shoulder was a reinforced messenger bag.

"So are you going to order somethin' or what?" the irritable bartender asked, startling the teenager in combat armour.

"I'm only seventeen. Anything suitable for minors?"

"Eh? Minors? Look kid, this is a bar. What we've got here is alcohol, and lots of it. You want milk or anything, you can try sucking it out of the prostitutes upstairs." He said gruffly.

"Thanks for the advice." The teen groaned.

"So what's with all the combat gear anyway? Roanapur is dangerous, but you look like you're ready to walk into a minefield."

"Well, I guess I could tell you." The teen shrugged. "I suppose I should start by telling you my name. It's Daniel. Daniel Harkness. But nowadays I go by Hermes."

"Oh, so you're that new courier I've heard about, right?"

"Uh, right." The teen said. "Anyway, you can probably tell that I'm not from around here…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Things were going great for Daniel Harkness. He'd finally graduated from high school in Australia a year ahead of his classmates due to his excellent results and he decided that the best way to spend his holiday would be on a luxury cruise around the world with his Mum and Dad. They were just about to pass by Thailand when Daniel went to sleep, but when he woke up, he found it was a very different scene from a luxury holiday.

"Hey, kid! Wake up!" shouted someone, waking the sleeping teen. "Wake up before I toss your ass overboard!"

The teenager's eyes fluttered open before widening in horror at the gun pointed at his face by a savage looking man armed with an assault rifle.

"I'm awake!" the teen said, quickly raising his arms above his head in surrender.

"Okay you little shit listen up! I want you to help me carrying all this loot back to my boat." he said, pointing at a pile of suitcases. "If you do it quickly I'll let you live. Now get to it!"

The teen, through both sleepy confusion and a strong smell of blood in his nostrils, carried all the suitcases to above deck, where most of the other passengers were not a day before. Now the entire vessel was slick with blood and bullet riddled corpses were being pushed overboard. In a stark contrast, the sky was a brilliant pale blue and he could clearly see a sandy white beach covered in mangrove trees close by. It was almost a crime that such a beautiful scene existed on such a bloody day.

"Keep movin'!" the man behind him shouted, kicking him in the back. The teen stumbled forward, almost slipping on the blood that was coated the deck.

"Where the hell did you find this piss stain?" shouted another pirate.

"Sleeping below deck. I don't even think he heard the gunfire!" the other laughed. "Now get the cases on the boat kid!"

As the teenager moved over to the other boat, he heard the click of rifles being loaded. He looked behind him and saw that all the pirates except the one who was ordering him around were aiming for him.

"I did say I wasn't going to kill ya, but I'm not so sure about these other guys!"

"Ah, he's just a kid. I think just one bullet will be enough to kill 'im." Sneered one pirate before he pulled the trigger on his rifle, a bullet tearing through his shoulder, causing the teenager to loose balance and fall into the water.

Pain shot through Daniel's arm like an electric shock, and the salty water didn't help at all. The other pirates laughed and shot at him with pistols, several bullets going through his legs. Screaming and somehow still clinging to a miraculously floating suitcase, Daniel floated his way to the shoreline.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"Now as improbable as that sounds, I take it that isn't the end of the story?" the bartender asked, idly wiping a glass.

"No, but I half wish it was. Everything just sorta went sideways in the bad department." Hermes sighed.

"I guess that's when you started wearing all that combat stuff, huh?"

"Yeah. It was a damn good investment, courtesy of the Rip-Off Church." Hermes said, cringing at a past memory. "Makes me remember why I bought it. I was just lucky enough that she was in a good mood that day I guess."

"She?"

"One of the craziest and most terrifying women I've ever seen. I swear, something about her just made her look like she could snap at any given moment. She told me that if I took on a job for her she'd help me survive. This was after putting a gun to my head."

"Well that's just how people say hello here." The bartender snorted.

"Someone else told me exactly the same thing. Since then I've learned how to say hello as well. Loudly." Hermes laughed, patting the bulky grenade pistol at his hip. "After getting me to shoot at a target with the pistol she pointed at my head, she told me to keep the gun and make myself useful by delivering a package for her to one of her associates. One of the Triad members. I still don't like working for them, but I have a debt to be paid. A life isn't as cheap as everyone makes it out to be. But all that came after the first job I did for her, though it was more like a test."

"So my guess is you're working for Balalaika." The bartender said. "But you're just a kid. How'd someone like you wind up in the pocket of Hotel Moscow?"

"I really wish it didn't happen like it did, but here's how it went…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

After floating to shore, Daniel was pretty much ready to quit life. Blood and seawater had soaked his clothes, his arm was turning numb and he was pretty sure he was going to die. Opening up the briefcase, he was glad to see that inside was a first aid kit as well as a pile of clothes.

"Damn that was lucky." Daniel groaned as he disinfected his wounds before wrapping them up in bandages. "That'll probably get me to a hospital. If there even is one around here."

After leaning up against a palm tree, Daniel went over the things he had. Over five hundred Australian dollars, half a first aid kit and a suitcase full of stolen clothes. Daniel fell asleep under the palm tree, and when he woke again, it was night. The bright light of a city shone over the line of palm trees and Daniel started to walk towards it.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

By the time he got to the empty looking city, Daniel was getting dizzy from blood loss. He knew that the wound should have started to clot and close over by now, but it wasn't going to be enough. He had already tossed the briefcase away so he didn't have to carry too much, but it wasn't making much difference. Daniel collapsed into a heap next to a building and put a hand over his bandaged arm.

Daniel felt his brain fill with confusion, fear and sadness. Was it really just his fate to die here in a city he didn't even know the name of? He looked around and all he saw was grimy yellow street lights and litter. Not even a soul in sight. Daniel looked up to the sky and saw the stars, obscured by clouds in the night. It wasn't the best way for him to die, but there wasn't much he could change about it.

Daniel then heard the heavy marching of boots. He looked around and saw people running through the shadows, clad in military uniforms and balaclavas, all armed with AK74s. Daniel's eyes widened as he heard a loud bang before gunfire filled the air. He thought he'd stumbled into a war from the sound of things! Then he heard an explosion from the top floor of the building he was leaning against and tiny flecks of shattered glass rained down on him.

"I need to get... out of here." Daniel said, groaning as he got to his feet and trying to stagger away, but he'd lost too much blood and fell to the ground. Out of desperation to get away, Daniel started crawling. Then the soldiers came marching back out, running to a number of parked vans on the road.

"Hold up." One said in a thick Russian accent. "I think this might be a survivor."

"Wasn't this place supposed to be sealed off? The Capitan ordered that no one was to be in this area while we were raiding." Said another gruff Russian voice.

The soldier that had first spoken marched over to Daniel and turned him over before looking over his wounds and his face.

"Whoever he is, he doesn't look like a local." The soldier reported.

Daniel coughed and clutched at his arm. "Please… Don't leave me here."

"Sorry kid, but we've got to go." One of the soldiers said as they ran to their vans.

The soldier standing over Daniel looked over to the van before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a syringe before jabbing it into Daniel's arm.

"Don't worry, it's just morphine. It won't do much to help you heal up, but you'll probably have enough time to find a doctor before it wears off. Go down the street that way and go into the first building on your right. There's a doctor there who will be able to help you." He instructed before running off to join his comrades before they drove away.

Daniel felt energy return to his body and he got up off the tarmac before looking at the building that had been destroyed. The five story building was burning, and a number of corpses had been dumped out the front, their blood spattering the ground. Another explosion went off at the top of the building as Daniel's eyes widened and he started to run, somehow not feeling the pain in his legs and arm.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

The doctor that Daniel had gone to didn't seem to be licenced, but he didn't have time to be picky. It had cost him four hundred dollars to get all the bullets out of him as well as convincing the doctor to let him stay the night to recover from his injuries. In the end, the doctor told him that as soon as he was well enough to walk without the need of painkillers, he would be discharged.

Daniel lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling fan as it spun around and around. He looked around the ward for the office and saw a few other people with varying degrees of illness and injury. Daniel heard the doctor arguing quietly with someone over the phone and losing, as well as sounding very scared. As soon as he hung up, he burst into the ward waving a gun.

"All right you assholes, everybody out! You're all well enough to leave so get the hell out of my office!" he roared before firing off a shot into the ceiling. The other people in the ward started hurriedly packing as well as Daniel, but the doctor waved a hand at Daniel. "Not you kid, you need to stay here. She made it quite clear."

Before Daniel could ask anything, the doctor hurried away, ushering the other patients out of the office. So Daniel waited, not particularly knowing what was about to happen.

Eventually he heard a car pull up outside and the door open. There was the tapping of high heeled shoes on the tile floor as a tall woman stepped into the room. She had long, almost shaggy blond hair and cold blue eyes, but her most disturbing feature was that half her face and most of her body was covered in large scars that were hidden under a dark red business suit covered by a large grey military overcoat.

"Ah, so you're that little boy who's gotten lost in Roanapur." She said, tapping a cigar between her fingers. "A little boy who got lost and learned something he shouldn't have."

"Wh… What do you mean?" Daniel asked nervously.

"I'm talking about last night, when you witnessed the eradication of a valuable part of an enemy of mine. The operation was supposed to be covert, but you happened to stagger in half dead and witness the entire thing. And due to the kindness of one of my subordinates, you're still alive." She said, crossing the room and putting a hand on Daniel's arm, causing him to wince in pain. "I just hope we won't have to fix that."

Daniel didn't really know how to react. The look in this woman's eyes told him that if he were to say something, anything wrong, then he would wind up dead. Or worse.

"I'm sorry if I did anything wrong, but I won't tell anyone what I saw. I don't even know who you or those guys were."

"Who they were is of no importance, but it is very important that you know who I am." The woman said, lighting a new cigar that she had pulled from her coat. "My name is Balalaika. I am the head of the organisation known as Hotel Moscow, one of the organisations that run Roanapur, and an organisation that you should learn to respect if you wish to survive here. And I think it's important that I know who you are."

"My name is Daniel Harkness. It's a pleasure to meet you." Daniel said, extending his hand in greeting.

"Such a polite young man. It's hard to find polite children in a place like Roanapur." Balalaika said, not shaking Daniel's hand. "Now please, if you could answer my questions."

"Well, of course I respect your organisation. One of your soldiers saved my life after all." Daniel said.

"A very good answer." Balalaika grinned. "Now tell me, what is it you plan to do with your life now that you're here in Roanapur? There's no place for innocent children in this city."

"I… I don't really know. My parents were on that boat when the pirates attacked, and I don't know if they're alive or dead. But it's likely they didn't survive."

"It's odd that you didn't think about this before now." Balalaika speculated.

"I guess… I guess I just didn't want to think about it." Daniel breathed. "Oh god, mum and dad."

"I take it you were very close to them." The woman said, looking out a window before extinguishing her cigar.

"I was." Daniel said, feeling the tears move down his face. "I… I'm sorry. I just…"

"No no, please take your time." Balalaika said softly. "We must always take time to remember those that have been lost to us."

Daniel started crying, sobbing into the blanket that covered him. Eventually he managed to pull himself together and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Do you have any relatives you might be able to stay with?" Balalaika asked.

"No. At least, I don't know. Mum and Dad never told me if I had any cousins or uncles, and I don't know if I can stay at my friend's houses forever. So I guess I have no choice but to stay here. At least until I can make my own place back home."

Balalaika breathed out a cloud of cigar smoke before speaking again. "Very well then. I can help you make a new life for yourself here."

"You can? Thank you Miss Balalaika."

"Not a problem. Ah, but now that that's over, let's get down to business." Balalaika said before pulling out a gun and pressing it to Daniel's forehead, causing him to gasp in surprise. "I apologise for doing this so suddenly, but I have to be sure you don't tell anyone. I hope you understand."

"P-please don't kill me!" Daniel shouted. The woman smiled, keeping the gun pressed to Daniel's forehead.

"I had no intention of that. I just wanted you to promise me that you won't tell a soul as long as you live about what you saw." Balalaika said, her icy blue eyes gleaming dangerously.

"I promise! I'll never tell anyone, I swear!" Daniel blurted.

"Well that's very fortunate." Balalaika said, putting the gun away and letting Daniel breathe a sigh of relief. "Now, don't be worried. If you be good, I might have a job for you in the future."

"A… a job?"

"Just a simple package delivery to another delivery company. It shouldn't be too difficult for you. Here!" she said, tossing a mobile phone onto Daniel's bed. "Something for you so we can keep in touch. I hope you get well soon!"

Daniel listened to her footsteps as she left the doctor's office and went back to her car. Daniel breathed another sigh of relief and looked down at the phone in his hands. Daniel's life was about to become very different.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"Wait a minute, so now you've told me about what happened at that building. You're not worried that old Fryface is going to hunt you down now?"

"She told me later that after careful consideration, I didn't know enough details to make anything I had to say useful. All that happened was that some people got killed one day. In Roanapur, that's like saying that the sky is blue."

"Fair enough." The bartender said. "So what about that job you went on?"

"Miss Balalaika said it was going to be easy. A payroll delivery to some couriers called Lagoon Company. But she thought it was going to be too easy and decided to spice things up a bit."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel had been discharged from the doctor's office and was buying things from the market. He had just bought himself a dark green t shirt, some long cargo pants with a cloth belt and a pair of rollerblades with detachable wheels when his new phone started ringing. Tentatively bringing it up to his ear, he pushed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Daniel! So nice to hear from you again darling." cooed the voice of Balalaika. "I hear that you've been discharged from the doctor's. I hope you're ready for that job now."

"Well… uh, I…"

"Oh I understand if you have any previous arrangements, but I have heard that your pockets are fairly empty now. And I'm not entirely sure that there are many alleyways that are not currently unoccupied."

"I see your point." Daniel said.

"Wonderful! Please be as fast as you can. It should prove an excellent test run for those new rollerblades you bought. Ta ta!"

The call ended in a click as the screen changed to a set of directions showing where he needed to go. Daniel looked around nervously. It seemed that Miss Balalaika had an eye on every corner. Daniel took off his shoes before donning his new rollerblades and rolling over to where he needed to go.

The rollerblades worked like a charm, and Daniel managed to get to the meeting place within only a few minutes, where Balalaika and a stoic looking soldier with a scar across his face were waiting.

"Ah, Daniel. You are a very punctual person aren't you?" Balalaika said, breathing out a cloud of smoke from her cigar.

"I saw no reason to keep you waiting." Daniel said.

"Indeed. Such a good boy." Balalaika smiled. "Now, to business then?"

The man with Balalaika picked up a messenger bag from behind some boxes and held it out in front of him for Daniel to take.

"That bag contains a package for an organisation that I frequently use the services of. You are to deliver this to the Lagoon Company's offices down by the docks. Do this job and I'll give you two thousand dollars. You'll also get to keep the bag. I'm sure it will prove useful in your future career."

"Two thou… Whatever's in this must be important." Daniel said, taking the bag and swinging it over him. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to deliver it without any troubles."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Balalaika grinned. "I've decided that since this job might be a little too easy for you, and we don't want you to get bored now do we?"

Daniel gulped and tightened his grip on the bag strap, waiting for Balalaika to continue.

"So I've devised a little test. As we speak, a handful of my men are moving around the city armed with paintball guns. Every time they hit you I'll deduct fifty dollars off your pay." She explained before smiling. "Just a little bit of fun to keep you on your toes. And my men were looking for a bit of recreation, so this should satisfy both our interests."

"R-right. So when do I begin?"

A small coloured ball going at an incredible speed smashed on the ground in front of him, spattering bright pink paint on the grey concrete and startling him.

"Oh, I'd say just about now." Balalaika grinned.

Daniel turned around, bag over his shoulder and sped out of the alley. As he rolled quickly down the road, he saw several shapes running across the rooftops out the corner of his eye. Daniel felt a paintball splatter onto his back and he yelped in pain and surprise, almost falling over! But he managed to regain his balance and dodge around the paintballs being fired at him.

A few more splattered onto him, but he gritted his teeth and kept low and moving. Daniel had gotten a lot of speed, and he reckoned that that would get him hit less, and he was right. He was able to dodge around the paintballs a bit more effectively now but there was still a lot of civilians he had to dodge around.

Whizzing past an alleyway, he thought he saw a group of soldiers running the same way he was going. Daniel grabbed a hold of a streetlight he was rolling past and swung himself around, returning to the alleyway. As he thought, the soldiers were planning to ambush him at the next intersection. Detaching the wheels from his rollerblades and stuffing them in his bag, he jumped up and grabbed a hold of a fire escape ladder and began to climb the rusting fire escape. Patting his new bag to see if the package was still there, he climbed inside an open window. Seeing nothing, he walked over to the door and opened it up before stepping into the hallway.

Only to spot several more soldiers take aim with their paintball guns.

"Contact spotted!" shouted one of them.

Daniel yelped and ducked back into the room as several paintballs splattered against the door including one that hit his bare forearm. Swearing under his breath, Daniel leapt back onto the fire escape and ran up the creaking metal steps before reaching the top floor, where another paintball splattered against his back.

"Son of a crap that stings!" Daniel shouted as he opened the window and ran through the hotel room before bursting out into the hallway, surprising more than a few sleepy residents.

Daniel was very tempted to use the elevator, but he heard the soldier's boots coming up both the stairs and the elevator, and the fire escape was being covered. What he needed was a new route.

Looking out a window, he saw that there was a pretty solid looking drainpipe going down to a slanted roof. Daniel quickly attached his rollerblades, made sure his bag was secure and opened the window before leaping out and grabbing onto the drainpipe and sliding down. When he hit the slanted roof, he spun around and rolled down the roof before he leapt off back onto the street.

"Hell yeah!" Daniel shouted before speeding off towards the docks.

Inside the building, the Russian soldiers were watching Daniel skate away when one of their mobiles started ringing.

"How goes the game?" Balalaika asked.

"The boy appears to be fast on his feet. We've landed a few shots on him, but far less than we predicted. We honestly didn't expect him to leap out of the building like that either." The soldier replied.

"Well, they say desperation brings out the best in someone." Balalaika said. "At any rate, it appears our little messenger boy has succeeded in his task. How many times did you hit him?"

"I got a shot on his forearm, and he had around four shots on his front and seven located on his knees and shins. When he turned around there was one right in the back of his head and three in the torso. Though I think I heard him shout when Lebowski shot him on the fire escape."

"Well, I didn't expect him to do this well. Bravo Daniel, bravo." She laughed.

"We did go easy on him. Maybe next time we can use some of our more advanced tactics?"

"Of course. I'm sure this is much too fun for you to just do it once. Maybe after he finds some lodgings I'll find a new job for him."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel arrived at the Lagoon Company offices and started panting heavily. He wasn't used to this kind of exercise. Usually he'd just sit around at home doing homework.

"Looks like I can't afford to get tired anymore." He breathed, inspecting himself and the various blotches of paint on his clothes. "Damn it, each one of those paintballs cost me fifty bucks! At least I didn't get shot too much."

Detaching the blades and walking up the steps, Daniel knocked on the door of the office. It was then opened by a man with shaggy blond hair and a Hawaiian shirt.

"Morning. What can Lagoon Company do for you?" asked the man.

"Benny! Who the fuck is it?" shouted a female voice from inside.

"I dunno. It's some kid." He called back.

"What's he trying to do, sell us girl scout cookies?" she laughed.

"Uh, actually I'm here to deliver a package." Daniel said, pulling out the package from his messenger bag.

"Who from?" Benny asked, taking the package.

"Miss Balalaika." Daniel said. "She put a gun to my head while I was in a hospital bed. It's still giving me nightmares."

"Well that's just how people say hello here." Benny said nonchalantly, opening the package to reveal large wads of cash. "Yep, that's the ticket. Hey, by the way, what's with the paint?"

"Miss Balalaika said that this job was too easy for me, so she had her soldiers play paintball with me as the target." Daniel said.

"Wait, really? I wanna see this!" shouted the woman from inside before she ran to the door, where her expression changed from expectant to disappointed. "Huh. I thought you would have been covered in bruises and paint. Tch. You got lucky kid."

"If it makes you feel any better he would have been dead fifteen times over if they were using real bullets." Benny said.

"Fuckin' kid would have been dead before he could move if he really went toe to toe with Hotel Moscow." Said the woman before disappearing back into the building.

"No arguments there. Those guys are scary efficient." Benny said, extending his hand in greeting. "I don't think we've been formally introduced. Name's Benny, I'm basically the IT guy for Lagoon Company. The woman who's just flopped onto the couch is Revy."

"Daniel." He said, shaking Benny's hand.

"Well I hope we meet again. I've gotta give this to Dutch. See ya!"

As the door closed, Daniel turned around and walked down the stairs as a van pulled up and the door slid open.

"Good job on completing your task Daniel. Now let's have a look at you." Balalaika said, inviting Daniel closer. "Well, it looks like you took a bit of a beating. From all the shots I can see, that's eight hundred and fifty dollars off your pay."

"Well, it was certainly less than I was expecting." Daniel said.

"Here's your pay. I look forward to using your services in the future, my little messenger." Balalaika said, handing Daniel a wad of money. "And by the way, I hope you don't have any plans in the near future."

"Not at the moment." Daniel said.

"Well in that case, be sure to drop into Hotel Moscow after setting up your accommodation. I have another test for you. The directions are on your cell phone. Ta ta!"

And with that, the door closed and the van sped away, leaving Daniel holding the money.


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel woke the next morning in a state of mild disbelief. He looked out the window at the morning and the city of Roanapur, his new home, for lack of better words.

"It stinks. Even from high up here. The smell of crime, blood and gunpowder." He surmised before twitching at the sound of gunshots filling the air. "I swear, as soon as I get the money I'm leaving this city."

Closing the window hurriedly, he picked up his new phone from the charging dock. Flipping it open, he saw that Miss Balalaika had given him directions to Hotel Moscow along with a following message.

'If you tell anyone about this information, I will personally put a bullet in your forehead. Neither of us wants that. See you there. -Balalaika' It read.

"How can that woman be so kind one moment and terrifying the next?" Daniel wondered, feeling a shiver go down his spine. After having a shower and getting dressed, Daniel slid on his rollerblades and slung on his messenger bag before opening the door to from his cheap hotel room and rolling to the elevator.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel stood out the front of the building the directions had led him to. The Bougainvillea Trade Company building. It was a tall grey concrete building with barred windows and not much else to identify it.

"Is this really the right place?" Daniel wondered aloud, looking to his phone and back at the building. "Well, only one way to find out."

Daniel walked into the building, looking around to see if anyone was there. There didn't look like there was at first, but then he noticed a grate slide back on a metal door on the other side of the room.

"What is your name?" called a voice from behind the grate.

"Daniel Harkness. I was called here by Miss Balalaika."

The grate on the door slid closed and a lock clicked before the door swung inwards, the iron hinges creaking loudly.

"Follow me." Said the guard as he led Daniel through the building. Eventually they reached a shooting range, where Balalaika was waiting.

"Very nice to see you again Daniel." She said, extinguishing her cigar. "I take it that you've found some reasonable accommodation?"

"A small hotel near the main street." Daniel said. "It's far from luxurious, but it will serve."

"Now, shall we get to what I called you here for?"

"Of course." Daniel replied.

Daniel was led to the firing range, where there was a target set up as well as a pistol and a full magazine.

"I don't really know much about guns." Daniel admitted. "Though it looks a lot like the gun you put to my forehead."

"Sharp eyes and a good memory." Balalaika observed, picking up the pistol. "Allow me to educate you further. This is the Makarov Pistol, invented in Russia and quickly became the standard side arm for the Soviet Union's military. It uses the nine by eighteen millimetre Makarov cartridge, the largest bullet it can fire without damaging either the pistol or the user."

She then handed the gun to Daniel who took it tentatively.

"So do you just want me to shoot the target?"

"Not just that. I want you to get a feel for it. It is more than likely that you will need to use it to save your life, as well as the lives of others if you so choose. You should clean it every day to get to know its inner workings and to know how to put it back together properly until you can put it together while blindfolded. That pistol will become your guardian, your negotiator and your best friend all rolled into one." She said. "But for now, just take a few shots at the target."

Daniel moved the sight over the target. His finger squeezed on the trigger and he instinctively shied away and closed his eyes.

"Don't close your eyes Daniel." Balalaika snapped. "You can't shoot what you can't see."

"But I don't want to shoot anyone." Daniel said.

"Ideals like that will be wasted in Roanapur. You should learn that as quickly as possible." Balalaika said coldly. "Strike quickly and without remorse. That is the only way you will survive here."

Daniel breathed before looking at the target and narrowing his eyes. Quickly pulling the pistol up and stiffening his arms, he pulled the trigger three times. Three holes tore themselves in the paper target. He examined the target and found that the three holes were scattered around almost randomly, but he had hit the target only once within the boundaries.

"Hmm, I think you may need a little more practice." Balalaika said. "Any spare moment you have, I want you to come back to the firing range and practice."

"There was a bit more recoil than I expected." Daniel said, setting the pistol down and rubbing his hands. "But I guess I've only seen guns in movies. I don't have the first clue how to handle or care for guns."

"Then as well as practicing, I'll have one of my off-duty soldiers teach you the finer points of firearms." Balalaika said. "You will need to know your way around a gun if you want to survive here."

"Thank you again Miss Balalaika." Daniel said.

"You're perfectly welcome. Right, now that that's out of the way, I have another job for you." Balalaika said before handing Daniel a holster which he put onto his belt on his lower back and sliding the gun into it.

"So what do I need to do?"

"I need this package delivered to a Mister Chang. He's the boss of the Sun Yee On Triad in this area. You probably won't get an audience with him, but if you deliver it to one of his cronies then I'm positive it'll get to him." She said, holding up a brown paper envelope. "This job will pay around one thousand dollars depending on how quickly you complete it."

"So it's timed?" Daniel asked.

"If you get the envelope to the destination in twenty minutes, you'll be paid in full. Every second you're late, five dollars will be deducted from your pay. Also like the job before, my men will be having a bit of fun with paintball guns."

"So every time I get hit that's fifty dollars off my pay, right?"

"Correct. Now get going. And please, don't shoot at my men with your new gun." Balalaika said. "Otherwise it won't be paintballs they'll be shooting at you."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel had taken cover behind a stack of crates, waiting for the paintballs to stop splattering against his cover.

"They're going to try something, I'm sure of it." Cursed Daniel. Peeking out of cover, he narrowly avoided a paintball speeding through the air. "These guys are friggin' good shots!"

"Thanks!" called one of the soldiers from on the rooftops.

Daniel looked around and tried to think of a way out. Time was ticking, he had been shot twice and he was sure there wasn't much time left. Daniel crouched down and looked around. Three exits, presumably all of them covered. All the doors around were either covered or locked, except for one which was wide open, but it could have been a trap. Preparing to scramble to one of the alleys, he saw swarms of soldiers running through all the alleys!

"Crap on a cracker!" shouted Daniel as he ran towards the open door. Slamming the door behind him and locking it, he started to run through the building before vaulting out an open window. Putting the wheels back on as he was running, the dropzone came into sight. Two Asian men in black suits and sunglasses were standing outside a black car with tinted windows.

"Finally!" Daniel breathed, sliding to a stop in front of the car.

"Hey kid, are you that messenger Fryface told us to expect?" one of the suits asked.

"That's me. I have a message for the Triad." Daniel said, taking the large envelope out of his bag and handing it to the suit who opened it and inspected the contents.

"Yep, this is it." He said before knocking on the window of the car. After it rolled down, he handed it to a Chinese man in sunglasses inside.

"Hey, thanks for this kid." said the man. "A message from one of the gods of Roanapur. I guess that makes you a little messenger of the gods, huh? Though it looks like you've upgraded from winged sandals."

"I guess so Mister Chang." Daniel said.

"Good guess kid." Chang said, lowering his sunglasses slightly. "How'd you know?"

"Well, you're in the back seat of a very expensive looking car and you're dressed slightly differently to your guards." Daniel surmised. "Oh, and I'm pretty sure your numberplate says CHANG 1."

"Huh. You're sharper than you look, kid." Chang said, raising his sunglasses again. "I'll be sure to keep in touch if I need your services. You're surprisingly speedy. We've only been here for two minutes."

Chang reached into his coat pocket and tossed Daniel a wad of money before the other two men piled into the car and they drove off. "For your good work. Consider it a tip."

Daniel counted the money and found that Mister Chang had just casually tossed him five hundred thousand dollars!

"This can't just be a tip. Nobody throws around that much money without wanting something in return." Daniel muttered.

As he stared at the money, Balalaika's van pulled up behind him and the door slid open.

"Ah, excellent work Daniel. You delivered the package on time and only got shot twice. Though I see Mister Chang gave you a bit of a bonus. Anyway, here's your pay. I would suggest that you buy something from the Rip-Off Church. They can get you anything and everything." Balalaika said, handing over nine hundred dollars. "Maybe they can get you something that'll help you with your little business."

"Rip-Off Church? I hope the name is just that." Daniel said.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel walked up the hill to the church on the hill, far away from Roanapur.

"Hard to believe that even the church has been corrupted here." He said. "All the more reason to leave."

Upon reaching the church, Daniel knocked on the large wooden door, where it was answered by a blond nun with big sunglasses and a foul expression.

"Fuck off kid, we're closed." She grumbled before slamming the door, leaving Daniel very confused and surprised.

Daniel tried knocking again, and it was opened by the same woman.

"Did I fucking stutter? Scram kid." She said.

"I'm here to buy something." Daniel said.

"Well we're not open!"

"When are you open?"

"Never. Now fuck off!"

"Sister Eda, what is it the child wants?" came a new voice. Eda opened the door wider to reveal an old nun with an eyepatch. "We shouldn't turn away customers because you've had a bad night of drinking."

'What kind of a church is this?' thought Daniel before speaking. "I would like to buy some bulletproof armour and smoke grenades."

"Really? That is an unusual order." The old nun said. "Why don't you come inside and have some tea, where we can discuss your order further."

"I'd like that." Daniel said, stepping into the church. The old nun led him to a room where they sat by a coffee table.

"Tell me, do you believe in the Lord, child?" asked the nun as she poured a cup of tea.

"I'm an Atheist myself, but if I turn out to be wrong, may the Lord forgive me." Daniel shrugged.

"An interesting answer." The nun said. "My name is Sister Yolanda. What is yours?"

"Daniel Harkness. Though I've been thinking of using the alias Hermes for my job."

"And what is your job?" Eda asked. "Kids in this city usually work as pickpockets and prostitutes if they're unlucky. You sound like you're planning to start a one man riot police squad. You're not gonna try and be some kind of superhero are you?"

"I work as a courier around Roanapur. Transporting packages within the city. Since my job doesn't call for it, I'm trying some non-lethal methods to get myself out of trouble. That's what the smoke grenades are for."

"Ah, an admirable goal, Thou Shalt not Kill. Regrettably in Roanapur, that law is broken almost daily." Sister Yolanda said. "And I suppose the Kevlar is to keep other people from breaking that law against you?"

"Yes. How much do you think my order will cost?"

"The full set of combat armour will cost you around five thousand. The smoke grenades I can sell you for fifty dollars each."

"How many do you have in stock?"

"None at the moment, but your order will arrive within the week. Don't worry about shipping cost, that's included in your payment." Eda said.

"Well I'll place an order for ten of the smoke grenades, but I unfortunately don't have the money for the bulletproof armour."

"Oh really? What happened to all that money I gave you?" asked a voice as the door swung open, revealing a grinning Mister Chang. "Don't tell me you spent it all already."

"Not at all. I had a suspicion that you would come back to collect. Not a single penny is missing." Daniel said, taking out the wad of money.

"Ah, you really are sharp." Mister Chang said, clapping his hands together as he approached Daniel. "I applaud you kid, you might actually make it in Roanapur. Now, I have come to collect, but I think I'll only take four hundred thousand off you."

Daniel counted out the money and handed it back to Mister Chang, who put it into his coat pocket. "It was good to meet you again Mister Chang."

"Likewise kid, likewise." He said, waving as he turned. "Oh yeah, I have a job for you if you're interested. And I can tell you right now, it'll pay a little more than what ol' Fryface pays."

"Hold on, this little shit works for Hotel Moscow?!" shouted Eda.

"On occasion." Daniel shrugged, taking a sip from his tea. "Perhaps we can discuss the job after I've made my purchase, Mister Chang."

"Of course, of course! Happy shopping kid. I'll see you outside when you're done." Mister Chang said as he left.

Daniel looked down at the money in his hands and turned to Sister Yolanda.

"Could I buy those smoke grenades in bulk?"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

The next day, Daniel got a message saying that his order had arrived. Mister Chang had given him a job for that day as well. Picking up and delivering his cut from the various bars and strip clubs that littered Roanapur and delivering the take to his office. After arriving at the church, Daniel saw that his armour was laid out on the altar.

"It was tricky finding bulletproof armour to fit your size, but this will fit well enough." Sister Yolanda said. "Your bulk order of smoke grenades has also arrived and is sitting in the pews."

"Thank you Sister." Daniel said, putting on the Kevlar armour and bulletproof goggles. "This fits perfectly. Hopefully it'll prove worth the money."

"I guarantee it." Sister Yolanda smiled. "Do you want that crate delivered to your apartment?"

"I think I'll take a few now. You never know when you'll run into trouble on the job." Daniel said, opening the wooden crate and taking out a bandolier and putting it on before inserting five grenades into it. "I'll be off now. Thanks again!"

Daniel walked through the doors of the Rip-Off Church and while he was getting his wheels out of his messenger bag, he saw two people approaching. One he recognised as the woman from the Lagoon Company, the other was a Japanese man in a collared shirt and tie.

"Hey, I recognise that kid." The woman said. "What the hell is he wearing?"

"It looks like bullet proof armour." The man said.

A nasty grin appeared on Revy's face. "Well, I'll be the judge of that."

Revy's hands went to her cutlasses and she pulled them out of their holsters before firing several shots at Daniel. As soon as he heard the bullets tearing through the air, Daniel rolled out of the way and back into the church.

"Come on! Let me shoot ya, you damn brat!" growled Revy.

"Revy!" roared Eda. "Quit shooting at the Church you fucking lunatic!"

"Fuck off Eda!"

Daniel's hand went to the bandolier and he tore a smoke grenade off before pulling the pin and tossing it at the two from behind the large church door.

"Rock, get down!" Revy shouted, practically leaping onto the Japanese man as the grenade started to spew white clouds of smoke.

"Hold on, it's not a real grenade?" Rock coughed, trying to keep the white smoke out of his eyes.

"Fucking god damned brat! Come 'ere you!" Revy roared, leaping up and firing off her pistols blindly. "I'll fucking teach you to play games with me!"

Outside the cloud, Daniel had finished putting the wheels on his rollerblades and was speeding down the dirt track to Roanapur. Picking a hot chunk of lead out of his Kevlar vest, he tossed it aside and breathed a sigh of relief.

"A good investment indeed. Still kinda hurts though."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel came to a stop outside one of Roanapur's many strip clubs, Club Heart. Looking at the gaudy exterior, Daniel felt a bit of himself die inside. Steeling himself, he took the wheels off his rollerblades and stepped inside, slightly curious as to why nobody tried to stop him from entering.

The inside was just as he expected. Bright purple and pink colours were splashed across the furniture that surrounded a raised platform where a stripper was dancing seductively as coloured lights flashed hypnotically. Daniel scanned around the room and spotted a door with a sign that read 'Management'. Daniel approached the door and a very large man stood up from the chair and eyed him dangerously.

"Get lost kid. The boss is in a meeting, and he don't need little shits like you disturbin' him." He growled.

Daniel gulped but then steeled himself. "My name is Hermes. Maybe your boss didn't tell you this, but he's expecting me."

"The boss isn't expecting any fucks in bulletproof armour." The big man sneered. "Now get outta my face before I punch yours in."

"I'm sure Mister Chang would disagree." Daniel said, noticing the man's eyes widen. "You might want to tell your boss to cancel his meeting. Mister Chang wants his money, and I'm here to collect it."

The man looked at Daniel before going inside the manager's office. After the sound of shouting, a gunshot and a woman screaming a man with numerous rings on his skinny fingers stepped out, combing back his slimy black hair.

"Well now, you're Chang's little errand boy, aren't ya?" he asked before leaning down and leering in Daniel's face. "Well if that ain't the biggest load of horseshit I've ever heard! Now listen to me you little punk. You may have fooled my ex-bodyguard, but I ain't no skink. You go around pretendin' you're a big-shot and you're gonna get your ass wasted. Now run on back to your gutter ya little piss stain."

Just as the man finished, his mobile began to ring.

"Yeah, who is this?" he asked irritably.

"Hey, Viktor! I understand you're having a little trouble with a transaction. Unfortunately my customer service team is off the clock right now, but I can bring you up to speed." Chang's voice crackled through the phone speaker.

"H-hey Mister Chang! I-I-I was ju-" Viktor stuttered nervously.

"Save it Vik. Now here's what's going to happen. You hand over the money to Hermes, he takes it back to me, and you keep your god damned mouth shut from now on. Otherwise I'm gonna stop supplying you with the girls you need to keep your seedy little business afloat. Comprende?"

"I… Y-yes Mister Chang."

"Glad we could reach an agreement. I sure hope you give my little errand boy a little bit of recompense for the way you treated him earlier. I don't know about you, but he looks kinda pissed." Chang said. "Oh by the way, could you put him on? I need to give him some advice."

Victor tossed the phone to Daniel before disappearing into his office and remerging with an armful of cash. "Here kid, the take for this month. There's five hundred extra for you, so just take it and go!"

Daniel put the money into his messenger bag and the five hundred into his pocket and slid the phone up underneath his combat helmet. "This is Hermes."

"Hey kid. Nice handle by the way, got a good ring to it. That's one joint down, only nine more to go before you can finish up." Chang said. "Now look kid, Viktor is the biggest pussy in Roanapur, and it seemed like I was the one who had to crack him for you. But I don't have the time or patience to play customer service all night, so let me give you a piece of advice. Any more of those guys give you shit, just make use of that handy little Russian peacemaker behind your back. That ought to get them to shut up and pay up."

"Yes Mister Chang. I'll keep that in mind." Daniel said hesitantly, exiting the building and putting the wheels back on his rollerblades. "I'll get back to you when I've collected all the money."

"I look forward to it." Chang said before the phone went dead.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

The night went on without many hassles. Daniel rolled around Roanapur collecting the take from various bars and clubs. Eventually he reached his final destination. A dingy little place called The Broken Barstool.

"Looks like this is my last stop." Daniel said, taking off his rollerblade wheels. "And none too soon. It's almost midnight. Good thing I'm used to being up so late."

Daniel stepped inside the Barstool and looked around. People were huddled around tables, drinking and muttering to one another. A lot of the bar goers turned and stared at Daniel, who was striding up to the bar.

"I'm here to collect on behalf of Mister Chang." He said to the bartender. The reaction was not one that Daniel was expecting.

Every single person in the bar pulled out a gun and the barkeep pulled out a shotgun, pointing it at the back of Daniel's head when he turned around. A door creaked open and out walked a Mexican man in sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt, various gold rings on his large fingers and a gold watch on his wrist.

"Okay little amigo, we do this nice and slowly. Hand over the bag and no one gets hurt." He said with a heavy Mexican accent, holding out his hand. "And don't even think about using that leddle Russian peashooter or those grenades of yours, you hear me you leddle fuckwit? Otherwise I'll have the barman here repaint the wall with your brain."

Daniel cursed as he slowly raised his hands above his head. What could he do in this situation? It was proved that the armour could withstand pistol shots, but he wasn't too sure about the three assault rifles, twenty submachine guns and four shotguns pointed at him, one of which being at point blank range.

A loud shattering noise filled the air as a window was broken and most of the gang turned to look and Daniel saw his chance. Batting away the barrel of the shotgun as the bartender fired it, he kicked him in the face while vaulting over the bar and crouching down behind it. The bartender hit the shelves behind him, shattering several bottles of liquor and knocking him unconscious as booze and broken glass flowed down from the shelves. Shots started to ring out, bullets tearing through the wooden bar and shattering the bottles underneath.

"Get him! Shoot the bastard!" shouted the Mexican boss.

Daniel swore as he pulled out his pistol and a smoke grenade. Pulling the pin and tossing the grenade over the counter, he scrambled to the end of the bar just as white clouds of smoke started to fill the room. Crawling across the floor, Daniel made his way to the exit, but a foot came down on his outstretched hand. Daniel yelped in pain and surprise before the foot kicked him in the jaw, sending him backwards.

"I found him!" shouted another voice before gunfire filled the air, none of it aimed at Daniel who had been sent sprawling to the floor. He heard a body fall to the floor and the men shouting at each other before the smoke started to clear.

Daniel scrambled to behind a broken table when the gang started shooting again. He was about to peek out of cover when the table was blown away by a shotgun blast. Daniel launched himself back behind the bar and looked at his gun. His hands were shaking, and he was terrified beyond belief.

'Don't close your eyes Daniel. You can't shoot what you can't see.' Balalaika's words echoed in Daniel's head. 'Strike quickly and without remorse. That is the only way you will survive here.'

Daniel thumbed back the hammer on his gun and peeked over the counter, ducking back down before the bullets could hit him.

"It was bound to happen eventually." Daniel said nervously. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he had no choice! "No, I can do this without killing anyone! I can do this!"

Putting away his gun, Daniel pulled out another smoke grenade and his rollerblade wheels. After putting on the wheels, he picked up a miraculously unbroken bottle and pulled the pin on the grenade before tossing it over the counter. Pushing off the ground, Daniel kept low and rolled to the end of the bar before swinging himself around the end and speeding up, making a beeline for the door and knocking out a man who stood in front of him with the glass bottle.

Daniel bashed the door open and dived outside, narrowly avoiding a hail of bullets. Daniel skated through the streets away from the building and he pulled out his phone before quickly dialing Mister Chang.

"Chang here. What's up Hermes?"

"Sorry Mister Chang, but there was a trap at the Broken Barstool! I got jumped by a gang of Mexicans!" Daniel said breathlessly. "I wasn't able to get the money from the Broken Barstool, but I've got the cut from everywhere else!"

"Ah, so it was one of the cartels… Don't worry about the Barstool kid. I had a suspicion something like this might happen. A few days ago my old collector got shot and all that money disappeared. So I hired you to do his job and lo and behold, these stupid thugs tried it again. Lucky for you I sent a bunch of my guys to tail you and make sure nothing happened. I'll be sure to pay you a little extra for your trouble."

"You used me as bait?! I could have been killed back there!"

"There was a definite possibility, but you seem to forget that you're covered from head to toe in bulletproof armour." Chang said casually. "Anyway, you've helped me eliminate someone whose balls were getting too big and you deserve to be rewarded. So bring that cut back here and we'll talk some more. Ciao!"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel looked nervously around the elevator as it sped up one of the tallest buildings in Roanapur. Upon arriving, his armour, smoke grenades and pistol were confiscated, though he was assured they'd be returned upon his departure. The elevator stopped and the door slid open and a woman in a Chinese dress and her hair in two tight buns stood in front of him.

"This way please, Mister Chang is waiting for you." She said.

The woman led Daniel through the richly carpeted corridor to a polished wooden door and opened it for him. Daniel stepped into the office and immediately saw the city of Roanapur through a huge glass window, lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Beautiful out there isn't it? Gleaming like a gem." Chang said, reclining on a plush leather armchair by a glass coffee table.

"It's certainly a better view from up here." Daniel said. "Down there all you can see is blood and smoke."

"Well, I'd be lying if I said this city didn't bother me sometimes." Chang said. "Why don't you have a seat. We can discuss business."

"Of course." Daniel said, sitting on an armchair adjacent to Chang's before taking off his messenger bag and putting it on the glass table and opening it. "Here it is. Package delivered safe and sound. It's the most money I've ever seen in one place before."

"Great kid, just great." Chang said, breathing out a cloud of smoke. "This calls for a celebration!"

As Chang said this, the woman in the Chinese dress came back in holding a bottle of scotch and two shot glasses on a silver tray. The woman put the tray on the glass table and poured scotch into both glasses before Chang took one.

"Here's to you kid, for a job well done." Chang said, raising his glass before taking a sip.

"Thanks Mister Chang." Daniel said, picking up the scotch but not taking a drink.

"Something wrong kid? You don't drink?"

"Never had one before. I'm only seventeen after all." Daniel said, setting down the drink.

"Well there isn't any age limit in Roanapur, but if you want to keep that thinker of yours in top shape then fair enough." He said. "Now, let's discuss your payment."

Chang reached into his pocket and counted out eleven thousand dollars before handing it to Daniel.

"If you don't mind me asking Mister Chang, there's something that's been bugging me." Daniel said after depositing the money in his pocket.

"Shoot."

"You seem to be one of the head honchos around here. The big shots. But I only arrived here half dead just over a week ago and now I'm making more money than I ever thought I would earn in my lifetime." Daniel said. "By all rights, I should be picking pockets and sleeping in gutters. Instead I'm doing business with some of the most influential people in the city."

Chang thought for a while before snapping his fingers.

"Well kid, I think I know exactly the reason you got where you are today. Why you didn't get killed along with your parents in that pirate raid. Why that Hotel Moscow goon shot you up with enough painkiller to get to a doctor instead of doing the sensible thing and putting a merciful bullet in your head. Why ol' Fryface thought you were important enough to warrant an interrogation herself." Chang said, a grin appearing on his face. "Luck. Blind stupid luck. That's all there is to it."

Daniel was speechless. The only reason he was still alive was because he was lucky. Nothing to do with skill, intelligence or quick wittedness. Just luck.

"At least I'm still alive." Daniel sighed.

"Well, it's getting pretty late and you look like you need some shut eye, so let's end this with a bang." Mister Chang said, standing up from his armchair.

The door opened and in stepped two men in suits and sunglasses carrying a bruised, bloody and badly beaten looking man in a Hawaiian shirt, his hands cuffed behind his back. Daniel recognised him as the Mexican mob boss from the Broken Barstool!

"This is the guy who organised the whole setup to try and steal my earnings. He's been a real pain in my ass, and you're the guy who's gonna get rid of him for me." Chang said, reaching into his coat and handing a pistol to Daniel.

Daniel stared at the gun in his hand, mulling over the situation. He was given the chance to kill the man who had threatened to blow his brains out and take Mister Chang's money. Daniel stood up and pointed the pistol at the man, who screamed and whimpered.

"P-please! Please don't kill me!" the man cried.

Daniel's mind flashed back to the doctor's office. Balalaika's gun to his head. The fear he felt with the barrel pressed to his forehead and the pain in his arms and legs, unable to move. The heavy feeling of cold sweat and helplessness. Unable to defend himself. Staring down death with no hope of surviving.

"I… I'm sorry Mister Chang. I can't do it. I can't kill a man." Daniel said, lowering the gun with his shivering hand. "Not while I still know what it feels like to be in his situation."

"Th-thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you…" sobbed the man.

"Huh. You really don't belong in this city, do you Daniel?" Chang said, a new cigarette between his teeth. It was the first time Chang hadn't called him 'kid'.

Daniel handed the pistol back to Chang, who put it back into his coat before producing a different pistol and shooting the man in the forehead, the crack of the gun echoing around the room. The man fell to the rich carpet with a muted thud, blood spilling across the soft cream carpet. Daniel stared in horror at what had happened while Chang put his gun away and sat back down.

"You… killed him." Daniel gulped. "He was begging for his life."

"What else would I have done?" Chang said nonchalantly, taking a sip from his glass of scotch.

"I… I don't know." Daniel said quietly before something occurred to him. "This was another test, wasn't it?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Chang asked facetiously.

"The gun was empty, wasn't it? You wanted to see what I would do."

Daniel couldn't see, but he knew Chang grinned even wider. "Sharp as always kid. I didn't know if I could really trust you. If there's something I hate more than an enemy, it's a wild card. Better the devil you know than the one you don't after all. So after you finished the job I devised this little test. Trouble is you're still a mystery to me even though you did exactly as I predicted you would. I'd be very careful if I were you."

"So what would have you done to me if I tried to shoot you?" Daniel asked.

"Word to the wise kid. Don't ask questions you already know the answers to." Chang said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "I'll contact you later if I find a job for you. See you later, Hermes."


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel was in his bathroom, heaving into the toilet. He vividly remembered the bright red of the man's blood dripping onto the carpet, bits of his brain and shattered bone splattering on the ground behind him. He had actually stepped on bits when he was leaving. Vomiting violently into the toilet again, he gasped for air before flushing the toilet, walked over to the sink and washed his face before looking at himself in the mirror. He looked terrible. His hair was a mess, both from stress and having his helmet on all day and his eyes were bloodshot and alarmingly wide with dark bags underneath.

"You proud of me Mum? Dad? I've gotten involved in one of the biggest shitholes on the planet. I work with ruthless gangsters and a terrifying Russian woman, I collect money from whorehouses, bars and strip clubs and I buy weapons from a church. Just like the future you always wanted for me." He said cynically. "And to top it all off I'm an accessory to murder. Way to go me."

Daniel left the bathroom and collapsed onto his bed, trying to forget what he had seen that night. Trying to get some sleep. But the image of that man he didn't know the name of begging for his life as he pointed an empty gun at his head.

"Just a test. A game. I remember when tests were done on pieces of paper." Daniel spat. "And when games didn't involve people's lives."

He looked over to the crate of smoke grenades and his bulletproof armour hanging on the door. His new work uniform. It was odd to think that most people his age were working in shops or fast food joints or waiting tables in restaurants. Not roller-skating through the blood soaked streets of a city controlled by crime.

"Soon I'll leave this all behind me. I just need to do a few more things."

Eventually, Daniel fell into a thankfully dreamless sleep.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Bao stood up and looked around the Yellow Flag. The kid had been talking for hours, and the only people still in the bar were himself and Hermes. It was almost time to close up, but he was interested to see where the kid's story was going. Taking a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses, he poured one for himself and another for Hermes.

"So what changed? Why're you still in Roanapur if you hate it here so much?" he asked before drinking the shot.

"Things are rarely that simple. I learned that the hard way." Hermes sighed. "Sometimes even the simplest, best laid plans can go up in smoke in spectacular ways…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

A few days later after a few miscellaneous jobs and visits to Hotel Moscow for training and lessons, it seemed like god decided to give Daniel a day off. Daniel hadn't received any messages for jobs and he wanted to stay away from guns for a day, so he decided to walk around Roanapur and spend his ill-gotten gains on food and other necessities.

Daniel had just gotten his groceries when he passed by an odd vendor stall. It was a cart filled entirely with teddy bears.

Daniel picked up one of the teddy bears from the cart and examined it further. It was like a ragdoll. Its head never stayed in the right place and it looked a little moth eaten. The bear's glassy eyes stared back at Daniel's questioning the things that he had done.

"Ah, you like bear? I give you one for twenty dollar!" grinned the elderly woman tending to the cart.

He was unsure at first, but the teddy bear continued to stare at him. Silently begging him to take it away from the dirty streets it saw day and night.

"I'll take it." Daniel said, handing over the twenty dollars before gently putting the bear into his messenger bag. "Don't worry little guy. You'll be safe with me."

Daniel then walked back to his apartment, teddy bear in tow. As he went up the elevator, he took the bear out of his bag and started to talk to it.

"You'll like it at my place. It's better than out in the streets." He said.

The bear looked at Daniel with its unblinking glass eyes. It seemed to understand him perfectly.

"You know, I had another teddy bear once. I gave him away because I thought teddy bears were childish and stupid. Now I guess you're a normalcy I'm glad to see."

The bear's eyes seemed to agree with him as the elevator door opened with a ding. Daniel walked into his apartment and closed the door behind him.

"Here it is. Home sweet home." Daniel said, dropping the teddy bear by the door and walking to the kitchen with the messenger bag where he put away all the groceries. "Maybe you should come with me when I leave here. I really should start making a goal. How does a million dollars sound? Yeah. I wouldn't mind going home with a cool million. I could buy a house, get a job as a regular courier, have a good life after I move away from this dump. What do you say, sound good?"

The teddy bear sat motionless, but something about it just radiated agreement.

"Well alright. After we stock up one million dollars, we'll move somewhere nice. Like Hawaii or Fiji. Yeah. Maybe I could get us a private island. That'd be cool."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Bao looked oddly at Hermes.

"Seriously? You talk with a teddy bear? I didn't even know they sold those things in Roanapur. Humph, a teddy bear, really. Ya big pussy."

"Hey, it was something I needed. Something to remind me of who I was. I didn't want to turn into the kind of person who could only fit in in Roanapur. I needed to cling to my innocence. Fat lot of good that did me on my next job…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel took the gun out from its holster and started disassembling it, just like the soldier from Hotel Moscow had taught him. It had been days since he had a well-paying job, and he was bored out of his skull. He carefully cleaned all the parts and oiled those that needed it before putting it back together. He counted how many smoke grenades he had left in his crate and inspected his combat armour for damage. Eventually he grew even more bored and flopped down on his bed.

"Maybe I should buy a TV." He said to his teddy bear before his phone started to ring. Quickly flipping it open, he put it to his ear. "This is Hermes."

"Hey, hey, hey! It's your main man Jackpot Rowan! You remember me, right kid? You collected my take for Mister Chang that one time, remember?"

"Yeah. You tried to get me to work for you with the promise of sex with one of your girls." Daniel said.

"That offer still stands by the way. Anyhow, I've got a job if you're interested."

"So what do you need delivered?"

"There's this shipment of outfits for the girls coming in, I need you to grab it for me." Rowan said. "Now I'm willin' to let you have your way with one of my girls for free for a week if you do this job, but if you're as adamant as ever to keep your virginity intact, I'll be willing to give you five grand. Just pick it up from dock five at noon and bring it back to my place."

"Five grand for sexy costumes? What's the deal here Rowan?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"Well if I have to be honest, it's not my order per se." Rowan admitted. "It's actually costumes for Club Heart. Can't fuckin' stand those guys! I've already got someone takin' care of their courier. All I need you to grab them kinky outfits and race 'em on back here before Club Heart gets wise."

Daniel thought for a moment before making up his mind. "Five grand you said?" he sighed.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"Can't believe I'm doing this." grumbled Daniel, adjusting his bulletproof goggles as he waited for the package to come off the boat via conveyor belt. "I remember when I had standards."

"Hey, are you the courier for Club Heart?" shouted a burly man from the boat.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, the package coming is down now!"

A bulging suit bag came down the conveyor belt and dropped onto the ground. Daniel unzipped the bag to inspect its contents and saw that it contained some of the skimpiest, most see through clothes he'd ever seen.

"Alright. Now to get these back to Rowan." Daniel said, rolling up the suit bag before putting it into his messenger bag and skating off.

He had just gotten out of the harbour when things started to go wrong. From out of an alleyway, shots started to ring out, bullets slamming into Daniel's armour. Then several cars stopped and formed a wall on the street and out stepped various gang members armed with pistols, shotguns and submachine guns. Daniel took a grenade from his bandolier and tossed it at the cars. As smoke filled the air so did the sound of gunfire, as the crooks started firing blindly. Daniel dropped low before entering the smoke cloud and vaulting over the hood of a car, accidentally kicking a thug in the face as he did so.

"He's over there!" shouted one as he started to fire where he thought Daniel was.

Skating out of the cloud, Daniel kept his pace before rolling into a back alley for a shortcut. Where he was immediately punched in the chest and sent flat on his back where a heavy boot came down on his chest and a revolver pointed at his face.

"Alright kid, here's the deal. Hand over the package and your brain is gonna stay right where it always has been." The huge black man said, thumbing back the hammer on his revolver.

'I'm getting into this situation more and more lately.' thought Daniel nervously, trying to inch his hand closer to his pistol. 'If I shoot this guy in the leg, it might give me enough time to get away. Or at least get into a position where he can't shoot me.'

"Hey I recognise this kid. It's that heavily armoured fuck from the Rip-Off Church!" shouted a woman's voice. Daniel turned his head and saw Revy looking at him with a nasty grin. "Hey kid. How's life in Roanapur treatin' ya?"

"Could be better." Daniel coughed.

"The package kid. Hand over the package." The black man said irritably.

"Dutch, you know he won't be able to do that with you standing on top of him, right?" Revy said. "And here I thought you were the brains of this outfit."

As Dutch was lifting his foot off Daniel, footsteps echoed from the mouth of the alley. "He's over here! Get 'im boys!"

"Ah shit." Dutch groaned. As the bullets started flying, Dutch heaved Daniel onto his feet and wrapped his arm around his neck, using Daniel as a human shield before returning fire. "Revy!"

"On it!" Revy grinned before drawing her cutlasses and running at the thugs.

"Is she crazy?!" Daniel gasped.

Dutch chuckled slightly. "Boy, you don't know the half of it."

Daniel watched as Revy ducked and weaved around the bullets being shot at her before returning with a hail of her own. One by one they fell like dominoes, a bullet hole in each of their skulls. Blood flowed like a river in the alleyway and by the end of it all, all Daniel could smell was the scent of blood and gunpowder.

Revy walked up to Dutch and Daniel before putting the gun to Daniel's head. "Alright kid here's the deal. You're gonna give up those stripperific costumes and give 'em to us so we can get paid and you keep your life. 'Cause at this distance your fucking armour's not gonna do shit. Comprende?"

As Daniel opened his messenger bag, he wondered what kind of upbringing this woman had to make her become like this. What happened to her to turn her into a monster that cared nothing for other people's lives, whose boots were soaked in blood and coated with ash and dust from broken bones? Who could have done that to her?

Then something occurred to him.

"Wait, I'm not entirely sure you've got the right guy." Daniel said.

"What do you mean?" Dutch asked.

"You're the guys Rowan hired to take care of the Club Heart courier, right?" Daniel asked.

"Wait, so you're not the Club Heart courier?" Dutch asked.

"Shit, we got the wrong guy." Revy cursed, spitting out her stump of a cigarette before lighting a new one.

"Sorry kid. Looks like we made a mistake." Dutch said.

"No problem, though I wish people would stop pointing guns at my head all the time." Daniel said.

"Though if you're not working for Club Heart, why are you going this way? GoofFest is on the other side of town." Revy questioned.

"It is?" Daniel thought before slapping himself on the forehead. "Damn it. I knew I was forgetting something."

"Fucking dumbass." Revy grumbled.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was counting out his money on his bed. So far he had close to four hundred thousand dollars.

"Just a couple more jobs and then we can leave here." Daniel said.

Daniel then stared stuffing the money into wads before getting up off the bed and moving to the cupboard and pushing it to the side. It seemed whoever used the room before he did was about as paranoid as he was and built a safe into the wall. After stuffing the money inside, he locked the safe and slid the cupboard back as his phone began to buzz and he flicked it open.

"This is Hermes." Daniel said, collapsing onto his bed.

"Hey kid. It's me, Chang."

"Hello Mister Chang. What can I do for you?" Daniel asked, sitting up.

"Well I heard you had a bit of a run in with Lagoon Company, so I decided to call and see if you were alright." Chang said.

"That's very thoughtful of you Mister Chang."

"Don't mention it. Wouldn't want one of my best couriers out of commission. Anyhow, I've got this little errand I need run and I'm pretty sure you're the perfect guy for the job."

"So what's the job?"

"Word on the street is there's this shipment of guns coming in for the Italian mafia presence here in Roanapur. What they've ordered is four whole freaking crates of RPG 7s. One of my informants also tells me that they're planning to use 'em, but on what I don't know. What I do know is that the results ain't gonna be good for Roanapur. Now as appealing as having some extra firepower on my side is, Lagoon Company is doing some heavy lifting for Hotel Moscow and last I checked, you can't lift four crates loaded with RPGs. So I want you to destroy them." Chang explained. "I'll provide enough C4 required for the job and you'll get forty thousand large for this gig. Not a bad offer, wouldn't you agree?"

"Easier said than done Mister Chang, but I can make it happen. When's the deadline?"

"The shipment's coming in four days from now. You'll get the explosives on the day." Chang said. "Make me proud kid."

"Will do Mister Chang." Daniel said, hanging up.

Daniel was just about to set down the phone when it started ringing again. Pushing the answer button, he put it up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello Daniel." came the voice of Balalaika. "I've heard you got a job recently."

"Y-yes. Mister Chang just called me."

"Really? What about?"

"I… I'm sorry Miss Balalaika, but I can't tell you." Daniel said. "Professional policy."

"Oh really?" came her disappointed reply. "Daniel, do you know what happens to children when they don't follow the rules laid out by their elders?"

"I have a bad feeling it's got something to do with a very heavy object being hit against my skull." Daniel said.

Daniel heard Balalaika chuckle before answering. "They get disciplined."

Daniel heard his door burst in and he saw two Hotel Moscow soldiers in balaclavas strode towards him before hitting him in the stomach. Daniel felt the air rush out of him as he collided with the wall behind him. As Daniel slid down the wall, the two soldiers started kicking Daniel in the stomach. Daniel coughed and spluttered as he felt hot bile rise up into his throat. Eventually the soldiers stopped and put Daniel's dropped phone up to his ear.

"You see? Now I'm going to give you one last chance Daniel. What did Chang tell you to do?" Balalaika demanded. "And be sure to answer truthfully, or you'll have a frightfully hard time explaining to Chang why you're dead."

As she said this, one of the soldiers pulled out a pistol and cocked it but kept it at his side.

"Chang told me to destroy the Italian Mafia's shipment of weapons. Four crates of RPG 7s." Daniel coughed.

"Really? Well that is an interesting job he gave you." Balalaika said. "However it is such a waste to just destroy those weapons like that. How about I give you an assignment? You can even tell Mister Chang you completed his job and take his money as well if you feel like two-timing the boss of the Triad."

Daniel looked back at the soldier with the gun. It was clear Balalaika wasn't giving him a choice. "Yes Miss Balalaika. Though Mister Chang might send one of his men to keep an eye on me while I do my job."

"We'll take care of that. But here's what you're going to do. You're going to get that shipment off the boat and into a van that will arrive when you have unloaded the shipment. They'll give you your pay of one thousand dollars for your work for me, and afterwards you can collect from Mister Chang."

"Yes Miss Balalaika." Daniel said.

"Excellent. I'm glad we understand each other." Balalaika said coldly. "And remember this. Any further insubordination will result in your death. Do not disappoint me again."

With that, the phone went dead and the two soldiers left, slamming the door behind them. Daniel slowly got up and collapsed onto his bed before looking up at his teddy bear.

"Looks like we're in a whole mess of trouble. If we want to get out of this alive, we'll have to play our cards right."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Eventually, the day came for the job. Daniel in his combat armour was at the harbour, C4 in his messenger bag, eyes darting all around the harbour, waiting for the boat to dock. Eventually it did, and a huge burly man with a bottle in hand leaned over the side of the cargo ship and looked at Daniel.

"Hey, you ain't the regular courier! What happened to Vinnie?"

"I'm an independent contractor hired by Ronnie the Jaws!" Daniel answered. He just hoped the sailor was drunk enough to believe his lie.

"Too many big words too early in the morning." The drunken captain grumbled. "Alright, we'll get the shipment down. Boys! Get to it!"

As the palette with the crates descended from the boat, the van pulled up.

"Okay kid, you did your end of the bargain, now let the professionals do the rest." Came the voice of the Russian soldier as he and a group of others came piling out.

Daniel watched as the Russians carried the crates into the van before piling in. The side window wound down and the soldier handed Daniel a wad of money before driving off. He was just about to leave when a black car with tinted windows pulled up beside him, the door opened and he was dragged inside.

"Hey kid. Mind explaining to me why those Ivans just drove off with those weapons I wanted destroyed?" Chang asked. Daniel heard the man who dragged him into the car take out and cock his pistol.

"Mister Chang… I-I can explain-" Daniel stuttered, looking up from the car floor as the car started to move.

"Well that's fortunate for you. So start explaining." Chang demanded.

"After you called me about the job Balalaika sent two of her soldiers to interrogate me about it. After they beat the information out of me Balalaika told me that if I didn't obey her orders she would have me killed. I didn't have a choice!"

"But here's the million dollar question. How did she know?" Chang asked, lighting a cigarette and hauling Daniel onto the car seat. "But more importantly, what's she gonna do with 'em?"

"I don't know. It was almost like she was expecting it. Like she knew beforehand. Like it had been planned out." Daniel said.

Chang was silent for a little while, as if mulling over some facts. "You may be onto something there kid."

Daniel wracked his brain trying to figure it out. His room couldn't have been bugged, he had checked every inch in one of his fits of paranoia. Chang started tapping his fingers impatiently on the armrest. Tap, tap, tap… Taps...

"A phone tap. The phone Balalaika gave me is bugged!" Daniel said with a horrible realization. "Damn it, the one thing I didn't check!"

"Well, that ought to do it." Chang said. "She must've planned this out before I even heard about it. They might have been just about ready to go when you got my call. And I suppose that she wanted to test your loyalty to her as well."

"I think I may need to get a new phone." Daniel said, looking at the bugged mobile phone. "It'll raise too much suspicion with Balalaika if I get rid of this one. I think I might need to get another phone for jobs from you Mister Chang."

"Seems like it." Chang said. "Okay kid, I'll be willing to let this one slide. Just as long as something like this doesn't happen again. Be sure to tell me when you get a new phone."

Eventually the car pulled up outside Daniel's apartment block and Daniel got out.

"Thank you for understanding Mister Chang." Daniel said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't mention it kid, it was out of your hands. But next time, be a little smarter alright?"

The car drove off and Daniel walked back to his apartment, thumbing through the thousand dollars from Balalaika while mentally kicking himself.

"God fucking damn it! At this rate I'll never get out of Roanapur. Thought I had hit a goldmine with Chang, but fucking Fryface shafted me." Daniel grumbled to himself. "At least you're still alive. You got out of this one with little more than a slap on the wrist from Chang. It'll be fine. Just keep playing the game and you'll come out on top."

Daniel took the elevator to his room and dropped his messenger bag into a corner before he flopped down on the bed. He had had enough bullshit for one day.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

The next day, Daniel woke early. He desperately needed a day off, but his phone rang. It looked like god was giving him no favours today. It was just a simple package run through the city. Some poor crack-head was willing to pay him over one thousand dollars to transport a single can of tuna to a friend of his. He felt really bad about taking his money and mentally told himself to put it in a plastic zip-lock bag when he got home, but money was money, and he needed a lot of it if he wanted to leave Roanapur.

As the day dragged on, Daniel did several odd jobs around Roanapur, collecting money as he went as well as buying a new phone before sending his new number to Mister Chang. He got just under ten thousand dollars before he decided to head home. While he was skating home, he saw a large column of black smoke rising into the sky. Normally he wouldn't be fussed, but the smoke was rising from his apartment block. A horrible thought emerged in his head and he started skating as fast as he could. Unfortunately when he got there, his worst fears were confirmed.

Pushing through the crowd of people, he skated to the building as the fire brigade was leaving. Ignoring the shouts of the police officers, he ran up the stairs until he reached the floor his apartment was on. When he reached his room, he didn't even have to open the door. It was burned off its hinges.

The room inside was nothing but a blackened husk. No furniture remained, the windows had been melted from the heat and the only thing still standing was the wall safe, which was not only open, but filled with ash. Daniel ran over to the still hot safe and ran his hands through the ash, trying to find any money, anything that wasn't burned to a crisp.

Nothing.

"I... I can't... I lost..." he said in disbelief.

Daniel stood up and looked around. Then he noticed something. In the corner of his room, on the blackened metal bedframe was his scorched teddy bear, its glassy eyes now melted and twisted, its fur non-existent. All that remained was Teddy's charred head, and his half melted eyes.

Daniel collapsed to his knees, his head against the blackened concrete floor. He started beating his fist on the floor, gritting his teeth together so hard they bled.

"Who did this? Who did this? Who the fuck did this to me?!" he roared, punching the floor in rage.

Then his phone started to ring. And it wasn't his new phone. Daniel took out the phone, his hand shaking and answered it.

"Is that you? Balalaika?" Daniel spat.

"You sound upset. But of course you would be after what happened to your apartment." She said. "I can see the smoke from Hotel Moscow."

"Were you the one who did this?" he demanded, his voice trembling. "Haven't I been punished enough?"

"I had nothing to do with it."

"Then why did you call me? Why now?"

"Because I think they were after you." She answered simply.

"They?"

"The Italian Mafia."

Daniel remembered. He thought that job was done with. "You used me as a scapegoat?"

"Hotel Moscow is not that cowardly. Deceit is for those with little power and great fear." Balalaika spat.

"If you didn't then why did they destroy my money? Why did they destroy my opportunity? How did they know?"

"I assume it is because they thought you were working alone. Hotel Moscow hasn't given up any information to the Italians, and Chang still thinks the weapons were destroyed. They must've found out on their own somehow."

"But why did they burn it? Why did they burn all my money?"

"It's not that they wanted the money. It was about sending a message." Balalaika said. "And I get the feeling you're eager to reply."

Daniel felt his anger boil up inside of him and a murderous scowl cross his face. "Miss Balalaika, I'm afraid I won't be able to take jobs next week."

"Oh? Why is that?" she chuckled.

"Because I'm going on a manhunt."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"So, whatever happened to Thou Shalt not Kill?" asked Eda as Daniel collected his order. "It seems to me like you're planning to do a lot of killing with those new toys of yours."

"I can make an exception for these bastards." Daniel spat, handing over the money. "If the Italian Mafia wants hell, I'll gladly bring down fire and brimstone."

When he got out of the church, he slid several frag grenades into his bandolier before loading his new grenade pistol with a high explosive shot. After checking his pistol and magazines, he rolled down the hill through Roanapur to the docks. Balalaika told Daniel that the high ranking members of the Italian Mafia were planning a meeting in the docks. An abandoned warehouse.

Eventually Daniel reached his destination. Cocking the hammer back on his grenade pistol, he pointed it at the door and the two guards leaning against it quickly scrambled away.

"Special delivery!" Daniel screamed as he pulled the trigger, feeling the recoil shoot up his arm as the grenade sailed towards the door and exploding. After the shockwave, Daniel rolled into the warehouse and tossed a grenade at the swearing Italians before taking cover.

"Holy shit!" one of them cried before they scattered, the grenade killing two men. They dropped to their knees before landing on their faces, the back of their suits torn open by flying shrapnel. Daniel loaded another grenade into his pistol before skating out of cover.

"He's over here!" shouted one of them before spraying at him with a submachine gun, the bullets thudding harmlessly against his armour.

Daniel pulled the trigger on the grenade pistol and the man shrieked, trying to leap out of the way of the grenade, but he was too slow. The force from the explosion sent him flying, his broken body crashing into a stack of wooden crates.

Several pistol shots rang out and slammed into Daniel's armour. He whipped around, pistol drawn and fired, hitting a man in the chest and just below his left eye. The man screamed before collapsing backwards over a stack of palettes. The man's friends just kept firing. Daniel fired his pistol multiple times, reloading when he ran out of ammo. Eventually, all the gangsters were dead. Except for the boss.

"Who-who the fuck are you, you fucking punk?!" shouted the last one from behind cover.

"You know who I am. You burned all my money after all. The money I was going to use to escape here. You blocked my exit, and for that you will die." He said, rolling over to the source of the voice, the round of his rolling wheels echoing throughout the warehouse.

"You won't get away with this you crazy son of a bitch! I'll fucking kill you!" he roared, leaping out from behind a crate with an RPG in his hands, aiming for Daniel.

The rocket fired and Daniel ducked low before pushing off the ground. Time slowed down as the rocket almost grazed against his armour before crashing into the other wall of the warehouse and exploding, demolishing the warehouse wall.

Daniel sped towards the boss, who was trying to run. But Daniel soon caught up with him and elbowed the boss in the back, sending him to the floor. The boss tried to open his mouth to speak but Daniel put his pistol into it.

"I know I'm not going to get away with this. But neither are you." Daniel grinned before pulling the trigger. The man's blood spattered all over the cold concrete floor as well as leaping up and splattering against Daniel's goggles.

Daniel stood up and looked around, both pistol and grenade pistol in hand. He looked at the carnage he had wrought. Bodies were broken, their bones exposed and their blood everywhere. The air was choked with the smell of gunpowder and blood, but Daniel didn't notice any of it. Greed had taken a hold of him and all he could think of was his personal gain. As he was looting the bodies for money, he heard the boss' phone ring. Taking it out of his pocket, he answered it.

"Boss, boss are you alright?! We heard explosions coming from the meeting place!" shouted the concerned sounding Italian.

"Your boss is dead." Daniel said.

"Wh- what are you talking about? Who are you, you little shit?!"

"Your boss is dead because I killed him. And if you don't leave Roanapur within the next forty eight hours, you'll be next." Daniel said before throwing the phone on the ground and crushing it beneath his rollerblade.

Daniel left the warehouse still scowling, his eyes burning with the same intense fire that destroyed his home and money. But all flames must be extinguished eventually.


	4. Chapter 4

It was only when he reached home that Daniel realised what he had done. He dropped the weapons and his messenger bag onto his bed and was about to take off his goggles when he noticed something. There was still blood on his goggles. He looked down and his gloves were coated in blood. Daniel felt fear growing in the pit of his stomach and he started tearing the armour and clothes off himself before throwing himself into the shower.

Daniel scrubbed feverishly at himself , even though there was no blood on him. He had forgotten to turn the cold tap on and the hot water felt scalding, but he didn't care.

"Why won't it come off?!" Daniel screamed. The memories of the blood and gore came back into his mind and he felt bile rise into his mouth. In his mind he saw the charred head of his teddy bear, its half melted eyes staring at him and weeping silently. Daniel collapsed to his knees before vomiting into the drain, the sick being washed away by the scalding water. Then he heard the phone ring.

Turning off the shower, he picked up his phone with a trembling hand and answered it. "Hello?"

"Daniel." Chang said in a barely calm voice. "Mind explaining to me why Ronnie the Jaws of the Italian Mafia and most of his high ranking officers are dead?"

"I…"

"You do realise just how much shit you've stirred up, right? How much trouble you've caused me?" Chang asked. "You don't seem to realise that the Italians are one of the most important factions here in Roanapur, and you've just declared war on them with your stupid little stunt. I'll be lucky if the ones left don't try to tear this city apart looking for you, and last I checked you don't have the cash to get out of here."

Daniel felt himself choking on his words as tears started to form in the corner of his eyes. "I… I killed them… I killed all of them… And now more people are going to die because of me. I… I just… I don't know what to do! I don't know any way I can fix this!"

"Lucky for you Ronnie the Jaws wasn't exactly on friendly terms with his family back home, so they won't particularly miss him. My guys found that the warehouse you blew sky high held a huge cache of weapons, and a laptop we found in Ronnie's office had details of a plan to overthrow both Hotel Moscow and my organisation before going back to their family head with an army of mercs and a bullet with his name on it. As well as giving me a headache, you've averted an attempted coup, so by phasing you out of the official picture is the least I could do to thank you. But be warned. This is the last favour I'm giving you kid. One more slip-up and you're on your own."

"Th-thank you Mister Chang. It won't happen again."

"I hope so. For both our sakes." Chang said before hanging up.

Daniel flopped backwards onto his new bed.

"Dear god, what have I done?"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel had no idea what he was going to do now. He had been so close, and then everything was taken from him. And to make things worse, he went on a murderous rampage. Daniel spent days looking at the ceiling and trying not to break down or throw up again. Eventually he was contacted by Balalaika.

"What's wrong Daniel? You haven't been taking any jobs for weeks now. You'll never get home at this rate." She said over the phone.

"I know. But… I killed people. I killed a lot of people." Daniel said in disgust.

"As have almost everyone in Roanapur." She said. "You'll get used to it eventually."

"But I don't want to get used to it! I want to lead a normal life, not spend it in this sinkhole of a city blowing people to pieces!"

"Of course you don't. That's what makes you different from the denizens of this city." Balalaika said. "You don't belong here. You can't belong here. You don't have the constitution for it. That's why you wanted to leave, wasn't it?"

Daniel was silent for a moment before answering again. "You're right. But I need some more high paying jobs if I want to get out of Roanapur."

"In that case, I have just the job for you." Balalaika said. "Something I need delivered to me personally. If you do this right, I'll pay you fifty thousand dollars."

"Must be important to you." Daniel said. "What needs to be done?'

"Go down to the docks and wait for the Lagoon Company's boat to arrive. They'll give you a package. After that, I will contact you and give you the coordinates of the rendezvous point."

"Will there be any complications?"

"You tell me." She replied.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel stood at the docks, waiting for Lagoon Company's boat to arrive. He clutched at his bandolier and felt his smoke grenades. He checked his pistol and grenade pistol, making sure they were loaded. Eventually he heard the gentle thrum of the boat's engine as a torpedo boat floated up to the dock. On the bow of the boat was Revy, who as soon as she saw him started grinning.

"Hey there kid. You here for the job?"

"Yeah." Daniel said.

"The package is on board, so come on up." She said, dropping down a gangplank. Daniel clambered up the gangplank and when he got up onto the deck, Revy was staring at him. "Huh. I knew it wouldn't last."

"What?"

"Your eyes have changed." Revy grinned nastily.

"What do you mean?"

"You have the eyes of a murderer."

Daniel's eyes widened before he looked down at the metal deck of the boat in shame.

"You're the one that blew up the warehouse full of Italians, right? I have to say, you must either have fucking balls the size of Roanapur or less brains that a god damned gerbil to kill all those bastards."

"I hope that's not a compliment." Daniel spat. "Anyway, where's the package I'm supposed to deliver?"

"Right here." Came the voice of Dutch as he stepped out from below deck, carrying a manila folder. "Be careful with those files. Balalaika's paid us a hell of a lot of money to get these from that transport ship."

"What are they?" Daniel asked.

"Not a clue. It's all in Russian." Dutch shrugged, handing over the folder. "Anyway, you'd best get those files to Hotel Moscow."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was skating through the streets of Roanapur towards Hotel Moscow. He was on the main street when he heard something whistling through the air behind him. Daniel threw himself to the side just as a rocket exploded just where he was going to go, the shrapnel and rubble bouncing off his amour. Civilians started screaming and emptying out of the streets and more people started shooting from a nearby building! Sniper rifle bullets hit the ground everywhere around Daniel, and one bullet managed to pass clean through his leg!

Screaming, Daniel got himself behind a car before pulling the pin on a smoke grenade and hurling it into the building. Rolling away, he pulled out his grenade pistol when he saw a van screech to a halt at the next intersection. From out of the van someone pulled out an RPG and fired it at Daniel!

Cursing, Daniel rolled out of the way of the rocket before firing his grenade pistol at the van as it started to move. The grenade hit the van's back tires and exploded, demolishing the back end of the van and flipping it over. From what Daniel could see, nobody got hurt and he breathed a small sigh of relief.

Reloading his grenade pistol, Daniel rolled from cover to cover, grimacing as he felt the wound in his leg getting worse.

"Gonna need a doctor after this." Daniel groaned before pulling another smoke grenade out and flinging it over the car before skating to Hotel Moscow.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was let into Hotel Moscow and was admitted to the medical ward, where the doctor there got to work on his leg. Balalaika was down shortly after the surgery had finished.

"Hello Daniel. Have you got the file?" she asked.

"It's over in my bag." Daniel said as the doctor wound gauze and white bandages around Daniel's leg. One of Balalaika's soldiers opened the bag and retrieved the file before handing it to Balalaika, who started reading it.

"Ah, I see. This is very valuable information. I thank you for getting this to me Daniel. I'll be sure to pay you appropriately."

"Thank you Miss Balalaika." Daniel said, testing his leg. "Though I think I may be out of commission for a while. The doctor said the bullet didn't hit anything important, but he made it clear I should stay off it for a while."

"Of course. But I have a feeling you should stay here in Hotel Moscow from now on."

"Why is that?"

"Your apartment was attacked." She said.

"Again?! Seriously?" Daniel groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "Did it have something to do with the people that attacked me? Chang told me I was taken out of the official story."

"It's a definite possibility, though nothing in Roanapur stays secret for long. I had a suspicion something like this would happen after your little episode, so I had my men move your possessions. Your weapons are in a personal locker in the armoury and you have a bunk in the barracks."

"Thank you again Miss Balalaika. I don't know how I'll be able to repay you for all the kindness you've shown me." Daniel said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way." She smiled.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Over three weeks had passed, and Daniel was looking out the window of the boat as it neared a new island. As it turned out, Miss Balalaika had found out a way Daniel could repay her before he could.

"I am going on a business trip of sorts to the east of Jamaica. I need your speedy delivery services to drop explosives into drop points for the local Jamaican drug cartels." She had explained to him. "One of the lowest ranked cartels there wanted Hotel Moscow to assist them in expanding their little business any way we could. I was more than happy to oblige. Ah, this reminds me of the Washimine job…"

"So do we have the locations of these drop points?" Daniel asked.

"Only one or two are in actually populated areas. The rest are outside of small towns or in jungles. I'll have one of my soldiers covering you as you work. But know that all the charges have to be set before seven o'clock tonight." She explained. "After you finish with the charges, head back to the boat and get some rest."

"Yes Miss Balalaika." Daniel said.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel lowered his new pair of sunglasses as the sun started to dip. Balalaika had told him to not wear his combat armour, since it made him look suspicious. Now he was dressed in the simple clothes he had bought in Roanapur, with a combat knife hidden in his rollerblade and his pistol in his deep pocket.

Patting his bag and checking his phone for the directions, he started to roll through the town Balalaika had dropped him and a soldier at. The soldier, who was armed with a sniper rifle, had started running from the dock as soon as they landed while Daniel was still getting ready. Eventually Daniel reached the first drop point, an innocuous looking rubbish bin in an alleyway. Opening up his messenger bag, Daniel flicked the activation switch on a block of C4 before putting it carefully into the bin and closing it back up.

Daniel started to roll through the bustling streets of the Jamaican city until he reached the outskirts. The road looked too rough to use his rollerblades on, so Daniel took off his wheels and started to run into the jungle. Moving out of the way of numerous trees, he eventually found the second drop point, an old stump. Dropping the activated bomb into the stump he took off again for the next drop point.

When he was dropping the third explosive into the third drop point, a rusted letterbox outside a dilapidated house, Daniel's phone began to ring. Flicking it open, he put it to his ear as he started to move again.

"This is Hermes."

"This is Lebowski. There are around five jeeps heading in your direction." cracked the voice of the Hotel Moscow sniper. "I think it's the Military Police."

"That can't be good." Daniel gulped. "How long until they get to my position?"

"I'd reckon three minutes. For now, get into the jungle. Go north five hundred metres then wait for them to leave. By then it'll be safe to go back onto the road." He said. "Lebowski out."

As the line went dead Daniel started running into the jungle. After getting some distance from the house he threw himself flat onto the ground as he heard the jeeps pull up. Heavy boots started stamping on the ground and he heard the MPs enter the house made of greying rotten wood. There was a lot of shouting and gunfire before the MPs started leaving. After Daniel heard the jeeps drive off, he returned to the road. The house looked even more wrecked than it did before. Bullet holes riddled the structure and there were bodies out the front, their dead eyes staring off into space.

Holding back the bile rising in his throat, Daniel continued down the road. Looks like calamity wasn't just in Roanapur.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel eventually deposited all the explosives at the drop points. As he was going back to the boat, his phone started to ring.

"This is Hermes." He said.

"This is Boris. There has been a change in plan." A man's voice reported. "Come to the Wipeout Bar at the end of the pier. It's next to the docks. The Capitan is waiting for you."

After the phone went dead, Daniel put the wheels back onto his rollerblades before skating to the bar.

'I wonder what's going on.' Daniel thought.

Eventually he arrived at the bar, which was themed in an entirely out of place tiki style. As soon as he entered, a man from behind the bar looked at him.

"Hey mon, this place isn't for minors, so buzz off!"

After he had said this, a huge man with a scar across his face marched up to the bar.

"He's with me." He said before turning to Daniel. "The Capitan is waiting. This way."

The big man, who Daniel assumed was Boris, led him to a door into a windowless meeting room. The smell of tobacco smoke hung stiflingly in the air, much of it coming from Balalaika's cigar. On the opposite end of the table sat a Jamaican man in a white suit, a fat cigar in his hand and a businesslike expression on his face.

"Ah, Daniel. So glad you could make it." Balalaika said. "Now we can begin. Mister De-Morris, you asked Hotel Moscow to aid in the expansion of your criminal enterprises, did you not?"

"Yeah." He said, clearing his throat. "My guys are sick of bein' on the bottom rung. It's time for a change in Jamaica. I called dis meetin' to discuss ways we can knock the other gangs out of Jamaica."

"Well, I'm happy to say we've already found a solution to your problem." Balalaika said happily.

"You have?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, but first allow me to introduce my associate." She said. "This is Hermes, a one man courier service from Ronapur. He's working for me as an independent contractor and has been quite busy for the past hour."

"Doing what?" De-Morris asked, looking slightly disinterested.

"Oh, you'll see." Balalaika smiled. "Boris?"

Boris handed Balalaika what looked like a remote detonator and she pushed the button. Daniel heard the muted thud of an explosion from outside the building and Mister De-Morris' eyes widened in surprise.

"What da hell was that mon?"

"I'm sure you're well aware that the other cartels you're competing with have some very efficient drug mules. I believe you once likened them to clockwork. We've just stripped the gears a little by destroying their drug drop points." Balalaika explained.

"Y-you're crazy mon!" De-Morris shouted. "I was gonna ask you to frame the other cartel bosses for somethin' and get 'em arrested, not get them royally pissed off!"

"Oh? Well I thought you had known. Manipulation is not how Hotel Moscow operates." Balalaika said.

The Jamaican man looked terrified, his cigar now forgotten and dropped onto the wooden table.

"Now don't worry. I guarantee that by the end of the month all the other cartels will be obliterated." Balalaika said, picking up her large coat from the back of her chair. "Leave it all to us while you focus on expanding your organisation. Let's go, comrades."

Daniel followed Boris and Balalaika out of the room and to a waiting car outside. Balalaika and Boris stepped into the car.

"I trust you know your way back to the boat?" she asked to Daniel.

"Yes Miss Balalaika." He said, slightly disappointed that he had to skate back to the docks.

"Very good. Boris and I are going to take care of some more business elsewhere, so I'll see you there later." She said as the car sped off. Daniel started skating back to the docks. But then he rounded the corner and felt something slam into the back of his head and he fell to the tarmac before blacking out.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel awoke in a situation he was starting to hate being in. He was covered in bruises in the corner of a small dark concrete room. His hands were bound behind his back by duct tape, but he was still wearing his rollerblades, and that meant that his knife was still there. But both his gun and his bag were missing.

Edging the knife out of his rollerblade, he set to work slicing apart the duct tape as he heard a door open. A light flickered on to reveal three people; a scrawny man with a butterfly knife twirling around his fingers, a Jamaican with an afro and a pistol by his side and finally a fat red faced man in a cheap looking suit.

"Alright kid, we know you're the little fuckstick who's been dropping bombs into our drop points." The fat man said. Daniel's knife was almost all the way through the duct tape. "What I want to know is who put you up to this."

"How do you know I wasn't working alone?" Daniel asked, earning a kick in the gut that almost resulted in him stabbing himself in the back.

"Because I 'aint never seen you in Jamaica before you little turd! I have this entire fuckin' island in my pocket. I know everyone and everything on this island like the back of my hand, and it's gonna stay that way for years to come! And I don't think your little stunt was just some fuckin' prank. So you're gonna tell me this real loud and fucking clear, or else you'll have a bullet where your tiny brain is supposed to be!" the fat man shouted.

Daniel felt the duct tape snap and he leapt up and stabbed the fat man in the gut, the knife buried all the way up to the handle.

"Sorry, I can't tell you. Professional courtesy." Daniel said before throwing the fat man onto the goon with the pistol.

The skinny man with the knife lunged at Daniel, but he moved out of the way and kicked the knife man in the face before slashing across his chest. The man with the gun had finally gotten his boss off him and tried to shoot Daniel, but the bullet only grazed his arm. Daniel leapt at the man and buried the knife in his brain. Quickly drawing the knife back out, he looked around the room. The three people who had beaten him just moments ago were all lying on the ground, their blood mixing together into a giant puddle on the floor. Daniel looked at his hands in horror and saw them dripping with blood again. He started shaking as bile started to rise in his throat again and he threw up onto the floor. When he stopped, he made his way out of the bloody room.

Just outside, Daniel found his gun and his bag resting against the wall. Picking it up, he unsteadily skated his way out of the building.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was back on the boat. He made his way back to his bunk, took off his rollerblades and collapsed onto the bunk. There he stared at the ceiling, not able to sleep. He lay there for what seemed like hours. Eventually he grew frustrated and got up, making his way to above deck.

He looked out over the island, rubbing his various bruises. He looked at his hands and saw that the blood was still on them. Sticky and drying, the smell of iron drilling into his sinuses. He heard the sound of high heels tapping across the metal deck as Balalaika walked over to him and rested on the side of the ship.

"You know Daniel, I've heard something very interesting happened tonight." She said. "The head of the top cartel in Jamaica was killed. Stabbed to death along with two of his men. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Daniel looked down at his bloody hands again but didn't say anything.

"You've saved me a lot of trouble Daniel. You're a much better investment than I first thought." Balalaika continued. "I had planned a complicated public assassination, but this will work just as well."

"I killed them. And it was so easy… What am I becoming?" Daniel said.

Balalaika breathed out a cloud of smoke, watching as it coiled through the air. "You're not becoming anything. You always have been yourself. You are simply doing what you have to do to survive."

Daniel looked at the blood drying on his hands again. "I was always told life is about doing things you don't want to do. I always hated my teachers."

"At any rate, we have more work that needs to be done. Go wash your hands and get some sleep. I have a paid assignment for you in the morning."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel walked around the Jamaican town. The job Balalaika had given him was simple. Just a demands delivery to the second cartel on the hit list. Daniel knew that Balalaika wasn't really expecting them to accept the demands. Eventually he reached what was reported to be the cartel's headquarters, a run-down looking bar; he entered the building and was intercepted by the barman.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm here to deliver a message to the boss of the Carlotta Cartel." Daniel said.

"Ah, we've heard about you." He said. "The boss is through that door over there."

Daniel nodded and went through the door were he saw a Jamaican woman sitting behind a desk cleaning a huge over-under style double barrelled shotgun. In the corner he saw a load of scuba gear and a small olive green crate, but he didn't know what could be inside it.

"Ah, so you're that courier, right? Hermes was it?" she asked in a cheery British accent, not taking her eyes off the gun. "Name's Carlotta. Nice to meetcha."

"It's good to meet you too." Daniel said before taking the envelope out of his bag. "I have a message for you from Hotel Moscow. A list of demands."

"Hotel Moscow? Hotel Moscow, now where have I heard that name before…" She said, rubbing her chin in thought before snapping her fingers. "Oh yeah, now I remember! They're that Russian terrorist group from Roanapur! They've come all the way out to Jamaica? Wow, they must be bored."

"Shall I leave this here then?" Daniel asked, envelope in hand.

"How about you read it out to me? I've got a busy schedule and this old under-over of mine needs a bit of a tune up." She said, returning her attention to the gun.

"Alright then." Daniel said uncertainly before opening the envelope and reading the letter. "Dear Miss Carlotta. As I'm sure you know, you are the second most powerful cartel in Jamaica…"

"Oh that flatterer. I really should send her a gift basket." She mused.

"What I'm sure you aren't aware of is that since the death of one Herbert Smithe, your cartel has become the most powerful in Jamaica."

"Oh really?" she said, looking away from the gun. "That is very interesting. What else does the letter say?"

"It is because of this that I feel that you must be destroyed." Daniel said.

"Ah." Carlotta said. "So that's the Hotel Moscow hospitality I've heard of. Anything else?"

"Yes, there's a list of demands." Daniel said. "However, if you do not wish for your entire cartel to be crushed under the heel of Hotel Moscow, there are a few things you must do. First, hand over all land and plantations you own to the De-Morris Cartel. Second, deliver all weapons and money in storage to the docks. Third, all men employed in your Cartel must be transferred to the De-Morris Cartel or executed, including yourself. If you comply with all these provisions, you will be spared. Regards, Balalaika."

"Ah, the De-Morris Cartel! I remember I stole quite a lot of money from them once. Ah, those were the days." She said, reassembling her shotgun. "Well unfortunately enough, those demands are very… well, demanding. So much so in fact that I think I won't bother. That's it. Off you pop."

Daniel nodded and left the bar before his phone began to ring.

"So, were my suspicions correct?" Balalaika asked.

"She refused." Daniel said.

"Well these things can't be helped. You'll get your payment when you return." Balalaika said. "Actually, feel free to take some time off. You sound like you need it."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was sitting in the shade at a secluded section of a beach, watching the crystal blue waves roll in. He was grateful Miss Balalaika decided to let him have time off. Eventually he fell asleep in the warm Jamaican sunlight. When he woke up again, he saw a few more people on the beach, a young boy and a girl.

"Oh, did I wake you?" asked a voice next to him. He looked up and saw a woman in a black dress sitting in a wheelchair. Her face and one of her hands was covered in bandages, and Daniel noticed that her right leg was artificial.

"No, no. It's alright." Daniel sighed. "It's a nice place, Jamaica. It's hard not to fall asleep in the warmth of the sun."

"Yes, the young master was quite insistent we visited here. Although I've heard that there is nothing but trouble recently. Terrorist bombings, gang wars; it seems that Jamaica is becoming akin to a battleground. However the young master seems determined to enjoy his holiday." She smiled.

Daniel felt guilt grow in his gut again. How his parents would love to see him now…

"So what brings you here? You don't seem to be a local." She said.

"I'm… on a business trip. I work as a courier on an island in Thailand."

"Oh? Which one?" she asked.

"Roanapur."

As Daniel said that word, the two people playing in the waves stopped and the woman in the wheelchair wore a sour expression.

"I take it you know of it?" Daniel asked.

"We prefer not to talk about that place. It turns men and women evil." said the young boy as he returned to shore. "The entire city is a hive for all kinds of scum and villainy."

"You don't need to tell me that." Daniel said grimly. "I've done terrible things. Things I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for doing. Even here I'm forced to bloody my hands. But one day I'm going to put it all behind me. I'll move somewhere sunny. Buy myself a nice house. Find a girlfriend. Have a family. Try to live the life my parents wanted for me. But until that day comes, I'll just have to bear the burden of my sins."

The three others were quiet for a while before the young woman spoke up. "But that may never happen. You may be stuck in that pit forever. What then?"

"That won't happen. I won't let it happen. I was never meant to be in Roanapur. It was completely by chance that I appeared there, and it'll be through all my own doing that I leave there, all the richer for it." Daniel said. "You see, I made a promise to a friend of mine. I told him we would leave Roanapur together. And while he's gone, I can still fulfil my end of the bargain."

"I hope that promise becomes fulfilled." The boy said. "Not a soul on this earth should suffer the torment forced on them by Roanapur."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

A few more days had passed and Daniel was back on the boat. Miss Balalaika hadn't really found many jobs for him, so he was just helping around the ship. He was helping one of the soldiers take stocktake for the ammunition when his phone started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello again there Hermes! It's me, Carlotta speaking." said the cheery cartel owner.

"Miss Carlotta? Why are you calling? I thought you had gone into hiding." Daniel said, drawing the attention of the soldier he was helping.

"Just calling to give you a bit of a heads up is all." She said. "You see I know you work with those guys in Hotel Moscow, but you just seem too darn nice to just kill. So if you get off their boat within the next ooh… ten minutes? No, no, more like five. Yeah, in five minutes that boat is going to be blown sky high. You see, my men and I don't like being pushed around by some stuck up Ivan bitch and her dogs. Hopefully I'll see you again! Ta ta!"

And with that, the phone went dead.

"What did she say?" asked the soldier.

"They're going to try and destroy the ship." Daniel said. "Either there's a bomb somewhere on the ship that'll go off in five minutes, or the boat is going to be attacked somewhere in that time frame."

The soldier said something in Russian, presumably a string of curses, before running off. "I'm going to raise the alarm! You contact the Capitan!"

Daniel was about to start dialling when he realised something. Balalaika was always the one who called him.

He didn't know her phone number.

"Son of a BITCH!" Daniel shouted before running off to start searching the ship.


	5. Chapter 5

Daniel was running around the inside of the ship, trying to push past soldiers that were doing the same thing he was. Searching for the bomb. Thankfully, someone else had contacted Balalaika and she was on her way back to the ship.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!" Daniel grunted, searching around the boat. It seemed unlikely that someone in the Carlotta Cartel could have infiltrated the boat. The soldiers were patrolling the boat like clockwork, day and night. So how could a bomb have been placed on the ship?

Then Daniel remembered something. In the corner of Carlotta's office was the scuba gear and that green crate. He put a hand to his face in thought. What could have been in the crate?

"Depth charges." Daniel realised. He turned around and tried to get the attention of the soldiers. "The bomb's on the outside of the ship somewhere! It's a depth charge!"

"What? In that case we need divers!" shouted another soldier. "Get the diving gear! We still need men at battle stations in case of attack, so get to it!"

Daniel saw he wasn't really needed, so he headed above deck to join the other soldiers.

"What's the situation down below?" asked a soldier that Daniel stood next to.

"We've worked out that there's a depth charge on the outside of the boat. A few of the men are going to defuse it." Daniel said, taking out his grenade pistol. "Though they may still attempt an attack."

"Then we must stay vigilant."

Daniel nodded in agreement before keeping an eye out on the road. Eventually he heard the splash of divers going down to locate and defuse the depth charges. The whole deck was on edge until the divers surfaced again.

"What's the situation down there?" asked another soldier.

"We've located the bomb and it's been defused." The diver said, holding up the large explosive.

"Good work. Send word to communications and get the Capitan on the phone." The soldier nodded. "The rest of you, stay on guard until the Capitan returns!"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

After several hours, Balalaika arrived back at the ship. She had gathered everyone, including Daniel, into what looked like some kind of war room.

"Soldiers, the situation was not as cushy as it seemed." Balalaika said, a cloud of smoke rising from her mouth as she spoke. "We have severely underestimated our enemy, and almost paid the price. But that is something we can no longer do. They tried to strike us, but we shall strike back with ten times the force!"

At that, a great cheer went up from the soldiers. After they had been dismissed, the only people left in the room were Boris, Balalaika and Daniel.

"Ah, Daniel. You look like you have something on your mind." Balalaika said.

"Er… yes. I'm wondering what my part in all of this might be." He asked. "All the other cartels have either assimilated into the De-Morris cartel or vanished off the face of the earth. I don't think I have anything left to do."

"Honestly I don't think I can find a further use for you here in Jamaica myself." Balalaika said, extinguishing her cigar. "And I suppose you want to go back to Roanapur to keep up that 'independent contractor' façade of yours."

"We could hire Lagoon Company to send him back to Roanapur. We were already getting them to bring us our shipment of ammunition." Boris advised.

"An excellent idea. Don't worry Daniel, you'll be back in Roanapur in no time."

'Oh joy.' Daniel thought to himself.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel waited with his luggage, two giant suitcases filled with his weapons and the combat armour, by the docks for the Lagoon Company's boat to arrive. When it did, he saw Revy grinning at him with that vicious, almost serrated, grin.

"Hey kid. I was wondering where the hell you'd gotten to." She snorted. "Have fun in Jamaica?"

"It could have been worse." Daniel said as the gangplank thudded down.

"Killed many people?" she grinned wolfishly.

"I'd prefer not to talk about that." Daniel said.

"Heh. Knew it." She said, taking a cigarette and a lighter out of her pockets and lighting it. As Daniel walked up onto the deck Revy looked at him again. "What, no bulletproof armour? You lost it or something?"

"Miss Balalaika told me it made me look too suspicious, so I couldn't wear it during the jobs." Daniel said.

"Finally, the kid grows a pair of fuckin' balls! I was wondering when they'd drop!" Revy laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. So I just dump this stuff somewhere below deck?" Daniel asked.

"Just go downstairs and look for Rock. He'll show you to the storage area. By the way, when were those Ivans gonna show up for their shit?"

"I expect in the next few minutes." Daniel said as he went downstairs. He spent a little while trying to find the storage area before he ran into a familiar face.

"Hey there Daniel, long time no see!" called Benny.

"Hi." Daniel said. "Good to see you again."

"So I heard we're dropping you off at Roanapur. Balalaika ran out of jobs for you?"

"Pretty much." Daniel shrugged. "Anyway, do you know where the storage area is on this boat?"

"Yeah, just go down the hallway and to the left. It'll be the first door on your right." Benny said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Now, I've gotta get back to my gear. There's some stuff I still need to configure before we shove off. Later."

Daniel walked through the metal corridors until he found the room he was looking for. Dropping his bags on the floor, he lay down on the seats there and tried to relax. It was going to be a long trip back to Roanapur.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"So anything particularly interesting happen on that boat ride?" Bao asked, pouring himself another drink.

"No, not really. Other than a small sunburn and constant pestering from Revy, everything went fine."

"Don't worry, Revy is probably one of the most well-adjusted people in this town. You don't want to see any bastard who's crazier than she is. For instance, fuckwits that think they can beat her in a gunfight. There are way too many of those." Bao said. "Though I swear, one of these days she'll be the death of me."

"Sounds like you two have an extra special relationship." Hermes smirked.

"You're fucking lucky I wanted to hear the end of your story. Otherwise I would've thrown you out of my bar for saying something like that." He said before leaning onto the bar. "Burns down my bar almost every time she comes here, and she always tells me it isn't her fault. But I already told that story to some other shmuck. What happened after you got back to this fine city of ours?"

"Let me tell you, it wasn't the last I had heard of Carlotta." Hermes sighed. "In fact, things only started to get worse after I got back from Jamaica."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was sitting on a rickety bench in a large market street in Roanapur, watching the people go by. Eventually his untapped phone began to ring.

"This is Hermes."

"This really that super-fast courier I heard about? You sound like little boy." Came a Chinese sounding voice from the phone.

"I'm the best at what I do. If you need proof, just ask some of my other clients like Mister Chang or Miss Balalaika." Daniel said, slightly offended by the woman.

"Oh, you work for Chang too? I guess that make us co-workers then. I'm Shenhua and I have big paying job for you." She said.

"What needs to be delivered?" Daniel asked.

"There's this package I need picked up from Jackpot Rowan. A DVD and a bottle of liquid chunyao. He said he get someone to deliver it, but they not show up. I want you to get package from him and to me by sundown. I give you five hundred dollar when the job is done."

"Alright, sounds easy enough." Daniel said. "Where do I need to deliver it?"

"I'll be waiting outside my apartment in wharf district. Don't be late, or I skin the hide off your ass!"

As she hung up, Daniel put on his rollerblades and skated over to the GoofFest Strip club.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

As Daniel walked into GoofFest, he saw the same things he did last time. A busty black haired woman wearing a tiny black latex skirt and bra was dancing seductively on stage while hordes of men and the occasional woman tossed money at the stage to the beat of almost hypnotic music with uncomfortably colourful lights flashing in time with the music, with Rowan sitting in a corner seat of the club, each arm around a scantily clad woman.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's Danny Boy! Long time no see man, how's it going?" Rowan asked as Daniel walked up to the table. "Can I get you anything? Booze? A girl? Both?"

"Maybe later Rowan, right now I'm here on business." Daniel said, taking a seat.

"Well let's get to it then." He said. "Whaddya need?"

"A client of mine wants her delivery. A DVD and a bottle of 'chunyao'." Daniel said. "She said she had placed the order a while ago, and it still hasn't been delivered to her."

"That must be Shenhua's order right? Well, I have a small problem. See the DVD she wanted is just in my office. But that 'chunyao' she wanted… let's just say the order got a little mixed up and I got it in industrial size. Gotta say though, it was cheap as shit to get! Problem was that the other package courier company collapsed in on itself before completing my job, and you were outta town."

"Alright. So how big are we talking here?"

"A couple of gallons." He shrugged. "A whole oil barrel full."

"What the hell would you do with an oil barrel full of chunyao? Whatever that stuff is."

"Beats the heck out of me. That chunyao stuff could be anything from rocket fuel to poison. She's an assassin anyway, so the second one is more likely. Anyway, it's in my office as well. I'll get one of my guys to get it out for you."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Eventually the oil drum full of chunyao was put out the front. Rowan also handed Daniel the DVD. Daniel couldn't read the Chinese writing on the cover, but he could see that the cover picture was a naked woman covered in what looked like clear slime.

"Never seen this kinda porno before, but damn if I'm not gonna get one of my girls to try it. I'll be sure to save you a front row seat. Just remember to bring a raincoat." Rowan grinned. "Later Danny Boy!"

Daniel held the sordid DVD away from him before putting it into his messenger bag and tipping the drum onto its side before rolling it to where Shenhua wanted him to drop it off. When he got there it was almost sundown, and a black haired woman in a white Chinese dress was waiting for him outside a large building that seemed to be built mostly of corrugated iron.

"Finally you show up! How long it take you to deliver one simple… what is that?" she asked, pointing to the barrel.

"Rowan's order got mixed up. He got you an industrial size chunyao. Hope you don't mind."

Daniel saw the woman's eyes light up as he handed over the DVD and the barrel. She almost threw the money at him and she rolled the barrel towards the stairs. "Hey little boy, you help me take this upstairs?"

"Sure." Daniel shrugged, putting the money into his bag before helping Shenhua lift the barrel up the flight of metal stairs.

After they hauled it up the stairs, Shenhua opened the door, dragged the barrel inside and slammed it shut.

"Well that was weird." Daniel shrugged as he made his way down the stairs. "Though I still have no idea what chunyao is. Eh. Probably isn't that important anyway."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Days came and went until eventually Daniel was contacted on his hotline phone as he was skating through the market street. So that meant it was probably Mister Chang.

"This is Hermes. What can I do for you Mister Chang?"

"Hey kid, glad to see you back in the city. So how was Jamaica? I hear it's pretty sunny this time of year." He said casually.

"It was alright." Daniel shrugged. "Gave me time to relax."

"Great to hear. Now, let's talk business." Chang said. "There's this gunsmith I know, he runs the shop called the Gun Runners. Anyway, he's been working on my two pistols for a day or two last week, but he hasn't gotten back to me. He said that he was going to finish them almost three days ago, but he hasn't been answering my calls. I need you to pick up the guns. By force if you have to. This job will pay around two thousand bucks if you keep the gunsmith alive. You get squat if he's dead."

"Got it Mister Chang. I'll get back to you when I have the package." Daniel said.

"Good man." Chang said before hanging up. Daniel started moving faster and to the sales district of the city. When he got there, he noticed that something was off. The door was wide open, but there was nobody minding the storefront and all of the weapons and ammunition was missing. He quietly skated inside, his hand on his Makarov pistol. He made his way into the workshop where he found something horrible.

An elderly looking man, around eighty or ninety years old with almost no hair and very little teeth was on his back, his dead and decaying eyes staring up at the ceiling. His chest had been torn open and mutilated until it looked like rotten and bloody mincemeat. Bits of broken rib and bone jutted out from his chest cavity as sticky blood shone in the light of the light bulbs overhead. In one of his hands was a gun.

Daniel tried to hold the bile down in his throat as he looked around and saw that most of the guns from the walls were missing. The smell was terrible. The body was rotting and he saw a few flies buzzing around the old man's carcass. Daniel fumbled with his phone and tried to call Mister Chang.

"Chang here. You got the goods Hermes?" he asked.

"Something's happened Mister Chang. The gunsmith's dead." Daniel said.

"You didn't kill him did you? Because that's going to cause some serious problems."

"He was like that when I got here. The blood's almost completely dry, and his chest looks like his organs have been put into a grinder and stuffed back into him after being left out in the sun for a few days. " Daniel said before spotting something on the ground. Two large shotgun shells. Daniel picked up one of them and dropped it into his pocket. "I think he's been shot point blank with a shotgun. And I have a nasty feeling I know who did it."

"Well spill the beans."

"Her name is Carlotta. She was the boss of a Jamaican Cartel before Balalaika decided to pay a visit to Jamaica. She went into hiding shortly after I delivered a list of demands to her. I guess she and her men thought that it was worth a try to hide right under her nose. Balalaika's probably tearing up Jamaica looking for her as we speak." Daniel reported.

Chang was silent for a moment, digesting the information. "Well in that case, this isn't going to be easy. Okay Daniel, don't worry. Just find my pistols and bring 'em back here if they're repaired or not. I'll deal with this Carlotta matter later."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was riding the elevator, tapping his foot on the ground. All his stuff had been confiscated from him again. It seemed Mister Chang still couldn't quite trust him. He didn't know why that bugged him, but it still got on his nerves. But then again, he still didn't particularly trust Chang either.

Eventually he got to the top and was led to Chang's office by the woman in the Chinese dress. Once there, he found Mister Chang sitting behind his desk on a computer.

"Hey there Hermes, glad you could make it." Chang said, waving him over. "Have a seat."

"I've got your guns. Thankfully that poor guy was able to fix up your guns before Carlotta got to him." Daniel said, handing over the two silver pistols.

"Good, good. I think I'll need them." Chang said, taking the guns. "Anyways, I found a bit of a lead on this Carlotta person. Having a background as a police investigator really helps. She arrived here not a few days ago under the alias Cathrine Shah. The first thing she did was hire every independent she could as well as move into an abandoned warehouse in the wharf district."

"Independent?"

"Anyone not affiliated with the Four Heads. You know, Hotel Moscow, the Triad, the Columbian Cartel and your old pals, the Italian Mafia. Thugs, gun hands, pickpockets, hookers, anyone she could get her hands on. Then she went into the Gun Runners and apparently placed an order of guns the old man couldn't fill in the time she wanted. But something happened to make her shoot the poor bastard point blank. She didn't get the order she wanted, but she got some guns." Chang said. "I think we're dealing with a real loose cannon here. This may be an isolated incident, but I'm not taking any chances. And for the love of god, don't contact Balalaika and give her this information. If she comes back here when she's still in crush, kill, destroy mode, then we'll be lucky if the only thing left standing is the Rip-Off Church up on the hill."

"So what's next?" Daniel asked.

"That's for me to know, and for you to not know. You may know this Carlotta person, but this doesn't really concern you, now does it? Besides, you have a weird history of having information tortured out of you, so like I said, I'm not taking any chances. We clear?"

"Yes Mister Chang." Daniel said.

"Good man. Now here's your payment." He said, handing over the two thousand dollars. "I'll be sure to give you a call if I have a job for you."

Daniel nodded and stood up to leave but he remembered something. "Mister Chang, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Do you know what chunyao is?"

Mister Chang looked at him with a surprised expression on his face. "Why do you want to know?"

"I delivered a forty four gallon drum of it to a client the other day." Daniel said.

Mister Chang put a hand to his mouth and started to chuckle before bursting out into laughter and startling Daniel.

"Forty four gallons of… pahahahaha! Oh my god kid, that's the best thing I've heard all week! Who- who was the one who wanted an entire drum filled with that stuff?"

"Shenhua. She said she was under your employ." Daniel said. "I'm not entirely sure what it is. Could be anything from rocket fuel to liquid explosives."

Chang only laughed harder at this, banging his fist on the table until he eventually composed himself. "I'll tell you one thing kid, you probably could have phrased that better! It's certainly some kind of rocket fuel and it certainly makes liquid explode, but not in the sense you're thinking." Chang chuckled.

Daniel still looked confused. "I… I don't think I get it."

"Okay, okay. I've had my fun at your expense." Chang said. "Chunyao is the Chinese word for aphrodisiac. You just delivered enough of that stuff to give half of Roanapur a raging boner for a few months!"

Daniel's face immediately soured and he wore an expression of absolute disgust. This only made Chang laugh even harder until he eventually fell off his chair.

"Your face! Your expression is priceless! Bahahahahaha!"

The door behind Daniel opened as a man with sunglasses poked his head in. "Uh, boss are you okay?"

"He's fine." Daniel said. "I think."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Bao looked at Daniel with a deadpan stare before slapping a hand on the bar. "Are you fucking serious? Damn it, I knew that Chinese vixen had something to do with that fiasco on Valentine's Day! Cupid's Arrow my ass!"

"Yeah, I heard about that. Didn't it take three days to clean up that whole mess?"

"It was actually the better part of a week." Bao groaned, pouring himself another drink and downing it instantly. "And no, I'm not going to tell you that story either. You still need to tell me yours. I haven't heard anything about this Carlotta bitch up until now."

"Things didn't really start to pick up until after Balalaika came back. Carlotta didn't really make a move until she knew that the boss of Hotel Moscow was back in town…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was sitting on his bunk in the Hotel Moscow barracks, painting a design on his combat armour and rollerblades. Two small golden wings on the rollerblades and the shoulders of his combat armour. Daniel's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

"This is Hermes." Daniel said.

"Hey, it's Dutch from Lagoon Company. I've got something for you." Dutch said. "A package from an anonymous friend."

"For me?"

"Yeah. It came with a letter too. It's at our offices at the docks if you wanna come pick it up."

"Alright. Thanks Mister Dutch."

"Just Dutch is fine."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel arrived at Lagoon Company's offices and soon had his package. But not before Revy had another go at him.

"So brat, killed anyone lately?" she smirked, leaning against metal railing on a balcony above him.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Daniel asked irritably.

"Dunno. I guess it's just funny to watch a pretty boy like you get covered in gutter filth." She laughed harshly, breathing out a cloud of smoke through her teeth.

"Well I haven't. And I'm planning on not taking any more lives." Daniel frowned before skating away.

"And that's the kind of thinking that'll get you killed." She snorted. "Fucking arrogant little brat."

Daniel skated until he reached a nice isolated area before opening the package. It was a fairly large cardboard box that had been wrapped in waxy brown paper and coarse string. He saw that there was an envelope underneath the string. Opening it up, he read the letter inside.

'Greetings from Venezuela. I hope that this package reaches you soon. Inside are some things I hope will allow you to fulfil that promise you made to your friend. I gave what I was able to spare, and I hope it helps. There is no need to repay me, but know this. If you ever feel the need to visit Venezuela, feel free to visit the Lovelace family manor. The Lovelace family's arms are always open to new members who wish to join our family.

Best wishes and regards,

-Garcia Lovelace

P.S

The crest inside this package will grant you access into the family manor if you do decide to visit.'

Daniel set the letter aside and opened the package. His eyes widened as he lifted the lid on the box and found a small stack of money, a book titled 'A Visitor's Guide to Venezuela', an English to Spanish dictionary and finally a large badge like the ones you'd see police investigators use. On a light blue shield was an orange, black and white bird, its wings spread wide. From behind the shield curled up two laurels that met above the shield, and underneath was a cream ribbon with the words 'Unidad mediante paz y fortaleza'.

"Hope that new dictionary will help me translate that." Daniel said as he examined the other contents of the box.

It seemed that this Garcia person had given him some kind of family crest. Though why or who this Garcia person could be was beyond him. Perhaps he was the boy on the beach he met in Jamaica. Daniel slid the crest into his pocket and got up. He needed to put this stuff somewhere safe.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

When Daniel returned to Hotel Moscow, he spent a good half hour trying to translate the crest. Eventually he got frustrated and set it down before counting up the money he received. It totalled up to around ten thousand dollars if he remembered to do his transactions correctly. Wadding up the money, he crawled under his bunk and found the small gash he had made. Before putting the money into the stash, he wondered how much he actually had. Daniel decided that after the soldiers had gone to sleep, he would count it.

"Daniel Harkness." Came a voice from above the bunk. "The Capitan wishes to see you."

Daniel smashed his head against the bottom of his bunk in surprise to the soldier's presence.

"Are you alright?" the soldier asked, looking under the bed.

"I'm alright." Daniel said, sucking in a breath of air and rubbing his brand new bruise before stashing his money and getting out from under the bed.

Daniel walked to Balalaika's War Room with a sense of curiosity and mild fear. Usually she would just contact him by his mobile. So why did she send for him with a soldier? Did she find out he knew about her phone tap? He hadn't done anything against Hotel Moscow, so it was unlikely that she was angry with him.

Daniel creaked open the door to the war room to find Balalaika sitting at a desk, a cigar in her deceptively delicate looking hand and Boris standing not far behind her.

"Ah, there you are. Please, have a seat." She said. Daniel couldn't really find any malice in her tone, but he was still put on edge. "I have something for you."

Daniel sat down as Balalaika opened the drawer to her desk. She then took out a letter and passed it to Daniel.

"This arrived just before I got back to Roanapur. It seems Carlotta wasn't as dead as I first thought." Balalaika mused.

Daniel's heart sunk when he realised the implications of what Balalaika said. Daniel read the letter and it was exactly what he expected it to be.

'Hello there, Carlotta here.

I've heard that my little plan to demolish your boat didn't work out as planned. Oh well. Just thought you'd like to know that I'm here in Roanapur and making my own way! Things are going really well. I've created a sustainable source of income, I have a good arsenal of weapons and a half decent web of informants! Not a bad start I think. Anyway, I'm just writing to tell you that I'll be raising a little hell around here in revenge for disrupting my business in Jamaica. Expect to have some more burn scars on your face by the end of the month. Oh, and expect to have less weapons suppliers than usual.

From Carlotta.

P.S: If you see that little weasel Daniel, shoot him in the face for me, okay? '

Daniel dropped the letter on the table and sighed. "This doesn't bode well." Daniel said.

"I have received word that one of our gunsmiths has been killed. The owner of the shop known as the Gun Runners." Balalaika said. "It also appears she has a personal grudge against you. Maybe some thicker armour is in order?"

"Maybe." Daniel said. "I've seen what that shotgun of hers can do to a person. And it's not pretty."

"Well then, it looks like something has to be done." Balalaika said, a thin smile forming on her face. "I have a job for you."

"What do I need to do?" Daniel asked.

"This woman is a problem. A cockroach that needs to be stamped out. I have my men guarding the other weapon suppliers as well as some other high profile targets they might attack. However, there is something I want you to do personally. Boris, care to fill him in with the details?"

"Yes Capitan. Hotel Moscow is preparing to launch a counter attack. We have decided that the best way to do this is to have an extremely high profile target. One that this Carlotta person won't be able to resist attacking." The stoic man said.

"In other words, you're going to use me as bait?" Daniel asked.

"Is that a problem?" Balalaika asked. "You will have a whole platoon of Hotel Moscow soldiers covering you, as well as your bulletproof armour. I hardly think the threat of death will apply to you in a situation like that."

"I… I see your point."

"Excellent. If you could please continue?"

"Yes Capitan. As we have felt that you alone will not be able to attract her immediate attention, you will also be transporting a substantial amount of high energy explosives. We will make the knowledge of the transportation difficult to attain, but attainable. When this information reaches Carlotta, she will undoubtedly try to steal it. If she tries to engage, the soldiers will intervene and attack Carlotta's solders. At that point, the operation will become one of search and destroy. We will leave enough openings for them to escape, and then follow them back to their base of operations. At which point, you will use the explosives to destroy the building and everyone inside it."

"I'd prefer it if I didn't have to take any more lives." Daniel said.

"If that is the case, then you can simply give the explosives to the soldiers who will be following you when the fighting starts." Balalaika said. "The operation begins three days from now. Do not disappoint us."


	6. Chapter 6

Daniel rolled down the street, his eyes darting around and trying to find any unusual activity. As he skated along, the platoon of Hotel Moscow troops marching in the shadows behind him, he recounted the conversation he'd had with Chang the day before.

Daniel was on his bunk in Hotel Moscow HQ when he felt the hotline ringing and knew it was Chang.

"Kid, we have to talk." Chang said urgently. "Warehouse Five, three blocks to the left of the Lagoon Company's offices. Get there in ten minutes and don't be late."

With that, Chang hung up and Daniel started towards the door. He got a few metres down the hall when he was confronted by the walking tank that was Boris.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"I've gotten a job from another client. I have to keep up appearances, don't I?" Daniel said.

Boris looked at Daniel with piercing eyes as he digested the information. "Very well. You may go."

"Thank you." Daniel said as he walked past before donning his rollerblades and skating away.

Boris looked over his shoulder to see if the boy had gone out of hearing range and brought a concealed walkie talkie up to his head. "The boy has found a new means of communication."

"Has he now? Oh that naughty, naughty boy. Get Lebowski to keep an eye on him. We don't want him doing anything that will affect the operation." Balalaika said.

"Understood."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel soon found the warehouse, a large squat grey building with a factory style roof. Outside of it were parked three expensive looking black cars with tinted windows. Daniel took off his rollerblades and walked inside, where he was stopped by two guards.

"We'll have to search you. Same deal as at HQ." one of the guards said.

"Go ahead." Daniel said, allowing himself to be searched. His guns, armour and grenades were taken off him and then he was allowed to see Mister Chang.

Chang sat in the middle of the warehouse at a folding table, another black suited man just behind him. Another seat was set up for Daniel.

"Okay kid, I've been hearing some pretty bad things might be happening soon." Chang said as Daniel took his seat. "I have heard that you're going to be parading a package of super high explosives all the way up the main street of Roanapur, waiting for Carlotta's rag-tag bunch of goons to try and steal it, then getting Hotel Moscow to jump on them and tail them back to their headquarters before blowing them all sky high. Am I correct?"

"Word for word Mister Chang." Daniel said. "But unfortunately I've got no say in the matter. And I have a feeling that if I tried to speak up or refuse then I would have enough lead in me to sink a small boat."

Chang looked at Daniel from behind his sunglasses, a thin stream of white smoke wafting up from his cigarette. "Well I think you'll know that I just can't allow this. This operation of Balalaika's puts not only innocent civilians at risk, but it could also attract some unwanted attention from outside sources. Mainly military police and other governments. Not to mention Carlotta is a lot smarter than she gives her credit for. Carlotta may actually be trying to humiliate Balalaika by luring her soldiers into an ambush. She may have a contingency for that, but I still don't want to take any chances."

"So I take it you already have a plan?" Daniel asked.

"That's the problem. I only just learned about this, so I've got nothing yet." Chang sighed, making an exaggerated shrug. "But…"

"But?"

"There is this one guy I know. His name is Rock. Or Rokuro Okajima if you want to be all polite about it. An ex-businessman from Japan before he was kidnapped by Lagoon Company. He's been working with them ever since his last company ditched him. He managed to negotiate his way out of Balalaika's gun to his head without making himself look weak or losing his pride. That man's got balls of steel, but he's pretty easy to fool into working for you." Chang explained. "He managed to keep a psychopath of a maid from killing a squad of American special ops repeatedly all in the space of a single night. If anyone can make a plan in time that won't result in the destruction of Roanapur, it's him."

"So should I expect a call from him?" Daniel asked.

"I would expect so." Chang said before standing up. "For now, you just dance to Balalaika's flute. We don't exactly need her to know what's going on. After Rock makes his new plan, I'll try to contact Balalaika and try to convince her of the errors of her plan."

Daniel nodded and left the warehouse. Chang sighed and started to walk back to his car, his right hand man in tow.

"I swear Biu, it's like the universe is conspiring to give me a headache." Chang grumbled. "I think it'll be time for a summit after all this is over. Boy won't that be fun?"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Gunfire sounded from across the street as a small bullet thudded harmlessly into Daniel's armour, surprising him. Taking out a smoke grenade, he dropped it at his feet and ducked into an alley, his escape obscured by the smoke. He poked his head around the alley and saw that an entire shooting gallery of goons had poked their head out of the windows of a tall building before several of them fell out, the walls around them painted with blood.

Daniel ducked back into cover and got out his hotline phone. "Any minute now…"

As Daniel said this, the phone started to buzz. Flipping it open he put it to his ear just as a grenade exploded outside the alley.

"Hello?!"

"I take it you're Hermes?" the voice on the other end asked in an annoyingly casual tone.

"If you haven't noticed I'm in the middle of a warzone! So what's this plan of yours Mister Okajima?"

Rock was quiet for a little while before speaking again. "Wait until the goons start to run and Hotel Moscow follows them, then follow them until you see the third alley on your right."

"Got it." Daniel said.

"I'll call you back when you get there." Rock said as the call ended.

Daniel peeked out of cover and saw that the goons were running away from the windows as an RPG went through one and exploded on the inside of the building. Daniel began to move behind the soldiers, hanging back just enough that he was out of sight. Then when the alley came up he darted inside. That's where Daniel found several of Chang's men, guns drawn, peeking around the corner.

"You get here just in time little boy." Said Shenhua as she stepped out from inside an alcove. "Look like we be working together, yes?"

"I suppose so Miss Shenhua." Daniel said. "Do you know the next step of the plan?"

"That what you supposed to know, right?" Shenhua asked just before Daniel's phone started ringing.

"Put me on loudspeaker." Rock said before continuing. "Okay, here's step two. Shenhua and Chang's men will make a perimeter around the small office block five hundred metres from your current position while Daniel sets the charges around it. After which Balalaika should order her men to set off the explosives. Don't worry, I've convinced her to follow our plan."

"How?"

"The hows and whys aren't important right now, just follow the plan!" Rock ordered before the call ended with a click.

"Well you heard the man. Let's move." One of the suits said as he and the others started running. Daniel and Shenhua kept up with them and started talking.

"So what part are you playing here Miss Shenhua?" Daniel asked.

"I here because Chang pay me to. Said something about making sure you or his men don't die." She shrugged. "Also told me that you told him about my chunyao."

"I… I didn't know what it was at the time." Daniel said, feeling his ears turn red.

"Normally I would skin the hide of your ass and carve it off, but that not what Chang's paying me to do." She said. "Besides, you remind me of my brother a little."

"You have a brother?"

"He dead now." She said strangely nonchalantly.

"Oh. I uh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He was an ass. He was cute, but then he just want to torture instead of kill. Then he try to torture me. I stuck my knife so far down his throat it came out his ass."

"Well that was… needlessly graphic." Daniel groaned as they reached the destination. "I'll set the charges."

"Good little boy." Shenhua said, taking out two shiny silver kukris from seemingly nowhere. As Daniel started setting the charges, shouting and cursing started coming from the inside of the building. The door burst open and a man in a wifebeater top stood with an SMG pointed in front of him.

He was about to shout something before a flash of silver caught Daniel's eye. One of Shenhua's kukris were buried in the man's throat, a red silk cord leading into the Chinese woman's manicured hand. The gun clattered to the ground as the giant knife tore out of his body and sailed back into the woman's hand.

"What you waiting for little boy, set the other charges!" Shenhua ordered, absentmindedly cleaning the blood off the knife.

Daniel hurried with the rest of the charges as more goons started firing from the building with Chang's men returning fire with their pistols, planting them around the corners and other supporting structures before skating away from it. Chang's men and Shenhua ran away from the building just before the charges exploded, causing the building to collapse, crushing the goons inside it.

Daniel looked back at the ruined building and saw a broken arm jutting out from it, its fingers hanging off the palm by just a thread. Daniel felt the bile rise in his throat, but he managed to hold it down.

"You okay little boy?" asked Shenhua. "You look sick."

"I'll be fine. I hope." Daniel said.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

It had been a few days since the operation. He hadn't been contacted by either Balalaika or Mister Chang, so he guessed they were still in negotiations.

Daniel was sitting on the end of his bunk, counting out his money. A lot of it was in Baht, but if his transactions were correct, it totalled up to just over seven hundred thousand dollars! Daniel put the money into his lap, very tempted to get out of Roanapur right then and there, but he resisted the urge.

"Three hundred thousand more and I can say goodbye to Roanapur." Daniel sighed. "Ah, so close, yet so far…"

Daniel wadded up the money again before returning to his thoughts. How would he hide all the money now that a soldier knew where he stashed it? After all, he didn't want Balalaika to use it as leverage against him. There weren't any banks in Roanapur, and even if there was, he doubted he would trust them enough to store his money. Same with Balalaika and Chang.

Eventually Daniel decided upon keeping it in the box he used to store grenades for his grenade pistol. Flopping back onto his bunk, he stared at the ceiling and waited for something to happen.

His hand went to his pocket and he felt something. Taking it out of his pocket he saw it was the crest Garcia had sent him. Maybe he should take him up on his offer…

No. Daniel didn't want to be caught up in another situation like Roanapur. He wanted a life free of crime after wading through all the shit Roanapur had to offer. After he collected his million, he would lay down his winning cards, cash in his chips, sever his ties and take the first jet out of here.

The entire city was just one big poker game. Just as he was one of the players.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"A poker game huh? Well I've heard worse things being used to describe this city." Bao said.

"Most of which are pretty accurate." Hermes said.

"Wait, you said you had something like seven hundred grand in your back pocket. Why the fuck are you still here again? Somebody burn that too?"

"No thankfully, but actually, this is my last night in Roanapur." Hermes said, looking at his untouched shot. "I've got my travel ticket, my luggage is packed and I've handed in my letters of resignation. I've got one more day to hang around here before I go to the airport."

"Aren't you worried that somebody is gonna try and jump you? I don't know about you, but just disappearing would be the smartest thing to do. What if Balalaika or Chang thinks you know too much about their business and tries to kill you?"

Daniel laughed before pulling out his sidearm and grenade pistol. "That's what these are for."

"Your funeral kid." Bao shrugged. "Where're you off to anyway?"

"Back to Australia. I always wanted to live in a place close to the beach." Daniel said.

"But what happened between then and now? You still haven't told me how this all ends."

"It started with Chang telling me the outcome of the little meeting he had with the Four Heads." Daniel explained.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was in the marked district of Roanapur, treating himself to a bowl of udon noodle soup. He hadn't tried it before and he was certainly glad he tried it now. The seat across from him slid backwards and Mister Chang sat down.

"Hey kid. How've you been these past few days?"

"I've been alright Mister Chang." Daniel said after finishing a mouthful of noodles. "Got a few pocket change jobs and thought I'd treat myself."

"It certainly looks tasty."

"No entourage today? Seems a little unusual." Daniel said.

"Look around a little harder kid, my guys can blend into the crowd." Chang said. Sure enough, Daniel spotted a few men in black suits standing around, glancing in their direction from behind black sunglasses.

"So what brings you to my office today?" Daniel chuckled.

"Well, it's related to that narrowly averted disaster a few days ago." Chang said. "The summit of the Four Heads has finally made a decision."

"And what's that?"

"The Carlotta Cartel presence here in Roanapur has to be eliminated, and while you destroyed their headquarters, Carlotta is still six feet above where we want her." Chang said. "Y'see, she wasn't in her HQ when you blew it to pieces. She was actually snorkelling down at the beach."

"Seriously?" Daniel asked, slightly dumbfounded.

"I don't doubt my sources." Chang said. "Anyway, it's been decided that a bounty will be put on her head by the local police."

"Roanapur has a police force?" Daniel asked incredulously. "It's just one surprise after another."

"Your sarcasm is duly noted. But the reason I'm here today is because there was a note that was addressed to me that has you as a secondary recipient." Chang said, taking out an envelope from his black overcoat and sliding it across the table to Daniel. Opening it, he read the message.

'Dear Mister Chang of the Sun Yee On Triad.

Hello, this is Carlotta speaking. I'm a new P.O.I (that's Person Of Interest if you've forgotten your T.L.A's) in Roanapur and I can't help but notice that my headquarters have been demolished while I was out snorkelling. That's such a funny word. Spelt funny too. Snorkelling. Sorry, back to the topic at hand. Anyway, imagine my surprise and chagrin to find that my house and base of operations had been razed to the ground while I was testing out my new rubber ducky ring and snorkel.

One of my informants has told me that your men were responsible for the destruction, but I have also heard that a guy called Daniel Harkness was the one who set the charges. Heard of him? I hope so. Anyway, this was the guy who not only played a part in dismantling my hard earned, disappointingly short lived criminal empire in Jamaica, but also saved that Ivan bitch Balalaika from becoming a criminal mastermind of the Jamaican sea floor. Now that he's blown up my house, that's the final straw. If you are reading this, Daniel "Hermes" Harkness, know this. I am offering you one chance to redeem yourself. Come to the place where you blew up my house in say, three or so days, and we'll fight each other. No traps, no tricks, just manno a womanno. There's going to be cake afterwards! For me anyway, you'll be dead.

Hugs and kisses

-Carlotta'

"She really is a strange one, isn't she?" Chang asked. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't really have any reason to fight her. If she wants to try and kill me, let her try, but I'm not going to be the one to kill her." Daniel said, screwing up the letter into a ball and tossing it into an open bin.

"Come on kid, this problem's not going to go away on its own." Chang said. "Besides, she only wants to fight you, so why not bite the bullet and kill her?"

"That's the entire point I'm trying to make here Mister Chang. I'm not going to kill anyone ever again. I've got more than enough blood on my hands." Daniel said.

"Alright, how about if I paid you? Ten thousand grand to get rid of this problem for me." Chang said.

"Why are you trying to get me to kill someone?" Daniel asked. "If you want a murderer, there's more than enough around in Roanapur! Hell, do it yourself if you feel up to it but just don't drag me into this!"

Chang stared at Daniel before sighing the way a school principal would sigh when a good student got into trouble. "Now look Daniel, this woman wants one thing and one thing only. She wants to try and kill you. Getting someone else to do it would be disrespecting her final wishes."

"You make it sound like she's already dead." Daniel said.

"Take a look around kid, most of the people walking around today are already dead. Dead inside or dead but walking, take your pick. That's why they call Roanapur the City of the Dead." Chang said, gesturing around. "Besides, last time I checked your kill count was about eighteen, counting your brief fling in Jamaica. What's one more on your conscience?"

Daniel felt the words sink into his mind like a dagger. Choices swirled around in his now confused mind like his now forgotten udon.

"I can't. I won't. I won't take any more lives." Daniel said. "I don't care how much money you give me, but I won't kill her for you."

"Look Daniel, Carlotta is a big problem to Roanapur, and you're the only one who's able to deal with it. This may be a city full of scum and villainy, but it's still an official city. Carlotta doesn't seem to have enough patience or drive to keep quiet about her activities and that'll cause big problems for everyone if she isn't dealt with quickly."

"I'm sorry Mister Chang, my decision is final." Daniel said as he stood up.

"Alright Daniel, you've made your point." Chang said as he stood up. "I won't push the matter, but if Carlotta kills you, it's not my problem. Later Hermes."

As Chang left, so did his men. Daniel looked at his food, sitting forgotten on the table. Suddenly he didn't feel hungry at all. So he left. Daniel made his way through the crowd of people away from the market district when he saw someone move through the crowd. It was quite possibly one of the most suspicious looking characters in a city full of shady people. The figure was wearing a conical straw hat and a dark cloak, despite the warm weather.

Daniel kept his eye on the figure as he moved through the crowd, but when he was about to pass by the figure, the cloak parted. A giant under over shotgun rose up from behind the cloak and Daniel threw himself to the ground as people started to scream and run. Carlotta smiled as she fired the gun up into the air twice, watching civilians run and the entire market street empty. Daniel was stepped on more times than he cared to count, and when it was finished, it was just him and Carlotta in the market street.

Daniel coughed as he got up, making sure that none of his bones were broken. Carlotta just stood there, her cloak thrown back and the shotgun over her shoulder.

"Long time no see, eh Daniel?" Carlotta asked.

"I thought you wanted to fight three days from now." Daniel coughed.

"Eh, I got bored. Besides, I'm still really pissed off at you for foiling my plans, destroying my property and killing my men. So I'm going to kill you now. Hope you don't mind." She said casually, reloading her shotgun.

Daniel jumped over a table and flipped it over, using it for cover as he unholstered his sidearm. No combat armour, no smoke grenades, no grenade pistol, not even his rollerblades. Just his Makarov and a crazy British-Jamaican woman armed with a shotgun designed for killing elephants.

Daniel peeked out of cover and fired off a few rounds but Carlotta dodged them all as she ran towards him. One shot blew away the flimsy wooden table, but Daniel was already moving. Keeping low and always moving, Daniel tried to at least slow Carlotta down by shooting her in the arms and the legs. He managed to get a shot into her shoulder, but that only seemed to make her angrier.

Carlotta lined up her shotgun and fired. Several of the shotgun pellets missed, but enough went through his left leg to cause him to scream and fall to the ground. Blood was soaking into the dust as Daniel tried to crawl away. He heard Carlotta's footsteps behind him and her shotgun open, two empty shells falling into the dirt.

"You know, I think I'll miss you. You had a nice way of addressing people and a friendly mannerism. I hope they put that on your tombstone." She said as she planted a boot onto Daniel's back. "What's the quote to say in this situation again? Ah never mind. I'm sure I'll think of it later."

Daniel started to panic. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to kill. What was he going to do?

'I don't want to kill anyone!'

'Strike quickly and without remorse. That is the only way you will survive here.'

'Strike without remorse. The only way to survive.'

'Strike! Survive!'

'SURVIVE!'

Instinct kicked in, wild and untamed. Time slowed down as his hand went to the combat knife hidden in his pants. The blade sliced through the air before stabbing into Carlotta's leg. Carlotta howled in pain before stepping off Daniel, giving him enough time to roll over and sit up. Daniel aimed the pistol at Carlotta and before he knew what he was doing, he squeezed the trigger.

Bang.

It all happened in an instant. In an instant, a hole barely the size of a pen lid was bored right through Carlotta's forehead. Her face was a mask of shock and pain. The conical straw hat fell from her head as she tipped backwards, the shotgun sliding from her grip, Daniel's knife still buried in her knee.

Carlotta fell into the dust, the blood from her head spattering across the ground and seeping into the dirt. The pain in Daniel's leg turned numb and Daniel felt hollow inside, just like his moment of insanity when he killed Ronnie the Jaws and his men.

Daniel was dimly aware of more footsteps, some hurried, but there was one pair that was moving at walking pace. Daniel heard Mister Chang take a drag from his cigarette before breathing out a cloud of smoke.

"Wow kid. Looks like I didn't have to goad you into it after all. So much for your moral code, right?"

Daniel clutched at his bleeding leg and shuddered. "Mister Chang. With all due respect; Please shut the fuck up."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was back in the medical ward for Hotel Moscow. He had just finished relaying the events of that day to Balalaika, who wore a neutral expression.

"I thought I had trained you better." She sighed before lighting another of her cigars. "You should't have gotten yourself injured like that. If you had killed her then and there that would have been the end of it. But you just had to get shot."

Daniel didn't say a word. He just opened and closed his hands again and again. He swore he saw blood on them, even though he had cleaned them three times.

"Capitan, with all due respect, he is still just a child." Boris said. "He isn't used to combat or the injuries that come with it."

"I know that Sargent. However, I will not tolerate weakness anywhere in Hotel Moscow. It is weakness that results in dead soldiers." She said sadly.

Daniel was sill quiet. He still couldn't feel anything inside of him. He still felt hollow. He couldn't even feel his own heartbeat. But he understood why. His other murders had been as a result of insanity or actions he was forced into making. Carlotta though. He killed her intentionally. Nobody else forced his hand, even though Chang tried to.

"Daniel, I am going out to dinner tonight at one of Chang's more exclusive restaurants. He has invited you as well. Will you be coming?"

Daniel mulled the option around in his head. The appeal of fine food was somewhat rubbed away by the blood he had spilled earlier that day. But he remembered the days he spent alone in a small apartment after he massacred the Italians. How lonely it felt. The company wasn't what he would have picked, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Alright." Daniel said.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

The car stopped at one of the few large buildings that dotted Roanapur. Daniel got out of the car on his crutches along with Balalaika, who was dressed in her usual attire. Daniel on the other hand wore a deep blue silk shirt and a white tie, suit coat and suit pants as well as a pair of white leather shoes. His left leg was still covered in a cast, as the shotgun blast had broken his leg in some places, but the painkillers were working fine. Daniel's Makarov was also tucked into his suit pocket at Balalaika's request. Boris was also with them, dressed in a plain black suit with a red shirt and black tie.

The group of Balalaika, Daniel and Boris entered the restaurant. It was a very classy looking establishment. Red paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, softly illuminating the restaurant and the circular tables below them, which were covered in rich red tablecloths and fine china and gleaming silver cutlery. The establishment was surprisingly empty except for an area at the centre of the restaurant that was in a slightly sunken area. Above the large table hung a crystal chandelier. Sitting at the table were two people, Chang and his ever present right hand man. Daniel had heard his name was Biu.

"Ah, good to see you all!" Mister Chang said. "How are you recovering, Daniel?"

"The painkillers are working." Daniel said as they all took a seat.

"Good to hear. The others should be arriving shortly." Chang said.

"Oh? Who else have you invited?" Balalaika asked.

"The other two Heads, Lagoon Company and a few other people from around town." Chang said.

As the night went on, more and more people entered the restaurant. A fat Mexican man in an entirely out of place Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and orange sunglasses, an lean Italian man with slicked back hair and a steel grey suit, Shenhua in a beautiful red Chinese dress followed by a scarred woman with black hair in a black Victorian style dress and a man with silver hair and rectangular sunglasses in a black tuxedo.

Then Lagoon Company came in. Benny was wearing a normal looking suit with the addition of an eight bit style tie, Dutch was in a mossy green tuxedo to match his sunglasses, and Rock was wearing a regular white shirt and a red tie. But the real surprise came from Revy.

She was wearing a dress.

It was a shiny black figure hugging dress with small pinpricks of silver that extended down to her ankles. But then Daniel noticed something else.

Revy was wearing high heels.

Even her hair had been changed from its usual rough ponytail to flowing freely down her back. Daniel wasn't even sure it was the same person who had pointed a gun at him so many times.

"Hey there Revy, you look like a million bucks." Chang said.

"Nice to see you too boss." Revy rolled her eyes. "Big sis, I don't know how you can fucking walk in these things all day. They're uncomfortable as shit!"

Yup. Same woman.

"Well, now that the gang's all here, let's start this shindig!" Chang announced. Several waiting staff came out from behind various curtains that were hung over almost hidden doorways, carrying various trays laden with food. Daniel waited until his dish arrived, a steaming bowl of udon noodle soup. Though Daniel thought udon was Japanese instead of Chinese, he didn't complain.

While everyone was eating, the others talked amongst themselves. Chang was chatting with Balalaika, the Mexican and the Italian, while Shenhua's group congregated over by Lagoon Company.

"So twinkie, why the nice dress? You try to impress Rock?" Shenhua grinned.

"Fuck up Chinglish. Boss said formal wear, so I got this tailored by some guy in the marketplace." Revy snorted.

"It is a very nice dress." Rock smiled, taking a bite of his meal.

Daniel wasn't really too keen on joining either group. Instead he just sat there, eating his udon and thinking. He was adapting to life in Roanapur. He just hoped he could change back.

"Hey… Hermes… Won't you… join us?" asked an electronic sounding voice. Daniel looked up and saw that it was the woman in the Victorian dress. Looking closer, Daniel realised that she had a wide scar across her throat that was partially hidden by a black device wrapped around her neck. "You look… lonely."

"I guess I just have a lot on my mind." Daniel said.

"Like what?"

"I… I've killed too many people." Daniel said. "Mum and Dad would probably be horrified at what I've done if they were still alive."

"Did you… kill them… on purpose?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. I think it was just instinct." Daniel shrugged. "I wouldn't have killed them if I had any other options."

"Then why do you feel bad about it?" asked a new person, the man with silver hair. "There were no other options. You shouldn't feel bad about a situation you couldn't control."

Daniel knew the truth of the words the man said. "I don't think we've been introduced." He said, shifting around in his seat and extending his hand in greeting. "My name is Daniel 'Hermes' Harkness. It's good to meet you."

"Fredrica… Sawyer…" the woman said, shaking Daniel's hand with hers.

"Lotton the Wizard." said the silver haired man, adjusting his sunglasses.

At that moment, Revy looked up from her other conversation and saw Lotton.

"Hey, didn't I kill that guy?"


	7. Chapter 7

Champagne glasses clinked together as Chang's party continued and Daniel finally managed to loosen up a little. He had found a good friend in both Lotton and Sawyer. Lotton was a little… dramatic; Daniel supposed was the right word.

"So Daniel, this courier job of yours, do you have an office, or a base of operations?" Lotton asked.

"If you count staying in Hotel Moscow's barracks. All my jobs are either given to me in person when I'm in town or by phone." Daniel shrugged.

"You could… stay… with us." Sawyer offered. "I think there's… a spare room… next to Lotton's."

Daniel put a hand to his chin in thought. "I'd like that. That is, if you guys don't mind of course."

"It'd be our pleasure." Lotton said.

Daniel heard the sound of expensive shoes tapping behind him and he turned around to see the grey suited Italian walking up to him.

"Ey, you're that Hermes kid, right?" he asked. "Name's Giovanni. I'm the new rep for the Italian Mafia presence here in Roanapur. I hear you've had a little history with our organization before."

"Yeah. Look, I really regret what I did. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you guys-"

"Ah don' worry 'bout it. Way I heard it you took down Ronnie the Jaws before he could make a move on the head of the family back in Italy. You stompin' that goomba really saved us some hassle kid, so it's all good." He said with a reassuring smile. "And hey, I have a few packages I need moved in the near future, so I might give you a call soon."

"I'll keep that in mind." Daniel said. Internally he breathed a sigh of relief. Chang had told him that everything had been blown over with the Italians, but he always had the feeling of daggers hanging just above his back ever since the warehouse massacre.

As the night went on Daniel found himself in a conversation with Balalaika.

"So Daniel, how have you been enjoying the nightlife of Roanapur?" she asked, a glass of expensive wine in her hand.

"A few burdens have been lifted off my chest. Giovanni told me that the incident with Ronnie the Jaws had been cleared up with him and he didn't hold any grudges." Daniel said. "I've made some new friends too. Lotton and Sawyer."

"Ah yes, the bounty hunter and the body disposal specialist. I've heard about them." She said. "In fact, I heard that Chang hired Sawyer to clean up that massacre of yours at the warehouse, so I think she'd be familiar with your handiwork."

Daniel felt a small pain in his gut when Balalaika mentioned the events at the warehouse, but he felt that it was probably intentional. Now that Daniel thought about it, Balalaika was always the first to jab at his wounds.

"Anyways, I think that after tonight I won't be sleeping in the Hotel Moscow barracks anymore."

"And why is that?"

"Sawyer and Lotton have invited me to live with them. They say they've got a spare room that I can stay in."

"Well then, that's certainly interesting. But there's something else I'd like to bring up." She said. "Do you remember the day before the operation against Carlotta here in Roanapur? You said you had a job you needed to do. However I have heard that no such job took place that day. Instead you were seen going into Warehouse Five on the wharf district. Why is that?"

Daniel's eyes widened slightly when he realised Balalaika knew about Chang's hotline. "Alright I admit it, Chang had recommended I get a new phone for more nondescript jobs after that little fiasco with the Italians and the RPGs. After I found out about the phone tap. So I used that phone to communicate with Chang for his jobs." Daniel said. "I just didn't like the fact that I was being spied on every time I had to take a job, and I have the feeling that Chang didn't like being on the microphone either. It's not like anyone's crazy enough to try and topple Hotel Moscow and try to hire me to help them."

Balalaika considered this information before taking a sip of her dark red wine. "Not just an observant boy anymore, but a perceptive and intelligent man." She mused. "Alright. I think you've proven yourself to me. If you want to move out of Hotel Moscow then you'll have no problems from me. Oh but of course I'll still call to give you a few jobs now and then, but I think it's time we put that phone tap to rest."

"Thank you Miss Balalaika. You've done a lot for me." Daniel said.

"Please Daniel, I think you've earned the right to call me Captain." She smiled before spotting someone else. "Ah, Rock! Come sit with us."

The Japanese business man started before walking over to Balalaika and Daniel's table with Revy in tow. "Hello Balalaika. You must be Hermes then. I've heard quite a bit about you." Rock said with a smile, reaching his hand out to Daniel.

"It's nice to meet you too Mister Okajima." Daniel said, shaking his hand.

"By the way, how do you know my real name? It surprised me the first time you used it."

"Same person who told you about me." Daniel said, looking over to Mister Chang.

"Yes, he had an entrance to Roanapur not unlike yours Rock." Balalaika said. "He washed up here after pirates attacked the cruise liner he was on and killed most of the passengers, his mother and father included."

"Bet he thought he was gonna have a real nice fuckin' trip until those pirates showed up." sniggered Revy.

"After that, he started working for Mister Chang and myself. And I believe you know the rest." Balalaika finished.

"Well, it has its similarities." Rock said.

"Except for the Nazis in the sunken submarine, that fucking psychopath bitch maid and her little master, those motherfucking creepy ass incestuous cross-dressing vampire twins, that fucking fiasco in Japan and finally the return of aforementioned fucking psychopath bitch maid and her little master, along with a mini maid for company." Revy said, counting off her fingers as she recounted each event, Daniel's eyes growing wider with each exploit mentioned. "But other than that, yeah. I can see why you might draw that conclusion."

"Wait, Nazis? They still exist?" Daniel asked dumbly. "Sounds like you've had a rough time here in Roanapur Mister Okajima."

"Please, just call me Rock like everyone else."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

And so the night continued until a thought surfaced in Daniel's mind. By then, most of the guests were outside having their various Tabaco products. All except for him and Mister Chang.

"Hey Mister Chang. I have a question." Daniel said.

"What's that kid?"

"Why did you throw this party anyway? It just seemed a little sudden."

Chang leaned back in his chair before putting a cigarette to his lips. "Well to be honest, it was probably to celebrate multiple things."

"Like what?"

"The introduction of the new Italian Head, the narrow aversion of a disaster brought upon by Carlotta, oh, and my birthday."

Daniel was a little surprised at the last point. "Happy birthday Mister Chang. Sorry I didn't get you a present."

"Ah, it's fine. Not like I expected anything anyways." Chang shrugged. "Anyways, since I've answered a lot of your questions, I think it's only fair you answer one of mine."

"Sure. What do you need to know?"

"I've been keeping an eye on you ever since you delivered that package to me. And my sources tell me you're coming pretty close to changing your nickname to Moneybags Daniel. Now the thing I'm interested in knowing is what you plan to do with all that dough you've been earning."

Daniel leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. "Well I'm sure I don't need to tell you my opinion of this city. That's why I'm planning on doing a few more high paying jobs. After I reach over a cool million, I'm taking the first jet outta here. I'll settle down and get a regular job. Buy myself a nice house. Somewhere in the country with rolling hills with a nice view. Live the life my parents would have wanted me to have."

Chang was quiet for a little while, breathing small puffs of smoke up to the red ceiling. "I can certainly see the appeal of that. But I'll warn you right now, it might not be so simple."

"What do you mean?"

"Roanapur isn't just a city. It's like a shadow. It follows you wherever you go. I'm sure you experienced the same feeling when you went to Jamaica." Chang said. "Eventually it'll catch up to you and you'll have to run again. Balalaika, myself or one of your other more regular clients might come a knockin' with more on their mind with just a job. Do you really want to force that on your family?"

Daniel opened his mouth to argue, but he knew Chang had a point. What if his history in Roanapur did catch up with him? What if he was identified as a terrorist from his brief stint in Jamaica?

"I think I'm willing to take that risk for a life of peace." Daniel said. "The way I see it, Roanapur is a bit like a poker game. You've got your high rollers, starry eyed fortune seekers and truly desperate players, but they all have to take risks to get what they want. This one is a risk I'm willing to take. But thanks for the advice."

Chang chuckled a little before breathing out a cloud of smoke. "Well in that case, I wish you luck when the time comes. You may need it."

"Thank you Mister Chang. And again, happy birthday."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

It was the morning after the party and Daniel woke in his new room. It was a fairly small room with a cupboard built into the wall a few metres from the foot of his new bed. Daniel remembered stuffing his hard earned money into the bottom drawer and then layering some spare clothes over it to hide it. His new bed was a little uncomfortable and he was pretty sure a spring was missing, but it was a little more comfortable than the flat bunks in Hotel Moscow.

After dragging himself out of bed and getting himself dressed, he descended into the living room where Lotton was playing a videogame.

"Hey Lotton. Where's Sawyer and Shenhua?" Daniel asked sleepily.

"They're off doing their jobs. Sawyer's workload piled up a bit when she took last night off and she said she'll be home a bit late." He said before holding up another controller. "You want to play?"

Daniel's stomach rumbled. "Maybe after breakfast."

"There's some cereal in the pantry and milk in the fridge." Lotton said before returning to his game. A little pixelated wizard was blasting away skeletons with bright blue orbs he fired from his staff while Daniel poured out a bowl of sugary cereal before bathing it in milk. As Daniel crunched on his cereal, he watched Lotton play.

"So what is that game?" Daniel asked as he moved over to the couch.

"Dungeon Run. It's a top down dungeon crawler that can host up to four people." Lotton explained. "There's also plenty of classes to choose from. Naturally I play as a Wizard."

"Seems kind of cool." Daniel said, wolfing down the rest of his breakfast. "When can I join in?"

"Right after I clear this next bit. I'm almost up to the next save point."

"How can you tell?"

"You get a sense for these sorts of things when you play video games a lot."

When Lotton got to the save point, he went back to the main menu before selecting New Game.

"You can pick your class now." Lotton said after handing the second controller to Daniel.

Daniel scrolled through the options. Warrior, Wizard, Ranger, Barbarian, Assassin and Paladin. Daniel eventually settled on playing as a Ranger.

"An excellent choice. We needed a ranger." Lotton said just as the door opened. In walked a figure in a bloodied white surgeons' outfit with a mask and goggles. Daniel was initially terrified until Lotton addressed her. "Hello Sawyer. You got back just in time, Daniel and I were about to start a new game."

"Let me have… a shower first…" her artificial voice said as she trudged up the stairs. When she came back down, she was in gothic clothing. She sat down between Daniel and Lotton and picked up a third controller. "Should we… wait for… Shenhua?"

"I don't think we have enough controllers." Daniel said as Sawyer selected her Warrior.

"Oh well. She might not have wanted to play anyway." Lotton shrugged.

And with that, they began to play.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel peeked around the corner of the dungeon wall, a bolt knocked in his crossbow.

"Three goblins, two skeletons and a minotaur." Daniel said.

"Should be easy enough for Lotton the Wizard!" Lotton announced, charging up a swirling vortex of red and blue energy at the end of his staff.

Sawyer readied her giant warhammer and pushed Daniel behind her. "Stay behind me… Daniel. Remember… what happened… last time?"

"It took us half an hour to find a revive scroll." Lotton said. "And I am not wasting that much time again."

Daniel grumbled something and moved behind Sawyer just as the monsters rounded the corner. One of the goblins shrieked and charged at Sawyer, only for him to be blown to pieces by Lotton's charged up spell. The goblin's remains splattered against the other goblins as the magical shockwave knocked them from their feet. The wind however passed right through the skeletons and they moved to attack. With a roar, Sawyer charged forwards and slammed her armoured shoulder into one of the skeletons before slamming her warhammer into the other skeleton, a red CRITICAL hovering above its head before it collapsed into ashes and vanished. Lotton was taking care of the two goblins and Sawyer was too busy with the second skeleton to notice the minotaur bearing down on her.

Daniel raised his crossbow and fired off a bolt that went straight into the minotaur's side, knocking it off course. Daniel quickly loaded another bolt as the minotaur turned to look at him and a storm of dust blew from its nostrils. It charged at Daniel with terrible bellow before Sawyer caught it around the waist with her warhammer, knocking it backwards. Lotton then turned around and blasted it with a fireball. The minotaur burned before falling over, blood spilling from its various wounds before it too disappeared.

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief he didn't know he was holding in.

"That was too close."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel's phone began to ring and he picked it up, still playing the game.

"This is Hermes."

"Ey, it's Giovanni here. This is about that job I was telling you I might have for ya back at Chang's shindig." The Italian said. "I've got something I need you to pick up for me. My brother back home is sending me a very important package. My Papa's old revolver, a .45/70 Big Frame Revolver. My old man always loved his hand cannons. It'll be arriving by boat among a crate full of tomatoes that'll be coming in today in dock nine. It's pretty important to me, and I'll pay you good if you get it to me fast, which from what I've been told, I'm sure you will."

"Sure thing Mister Giovanni." Daniel said.

"Ey, just call me boss. Mister Giovanni sounds too formal." He said before hanging up.

Daniel put the phone back into his pocket before putting down his controller. "Sorry guys, I've got a job to do."

"But we're… almost at the… boss fight." Sawyer pleaded.

"Sorry Sawyer. You guys can go on ahead." Daniel said before going back to his room for his combat armour, rollerblades and messenger bag as well as his smoke grenades and weapons. Quickly descending the stairs, Daniel skated to the dock nine.

When he got there, he saw that the ship was already there and unloading the crates. Eventually he saw a giant crate, easily taller than he was, labelled tomatoes clattered onto the concrete. Daniel rolled on his skates to the crate where another man strode up to him.

"Hey, are you the guy Boss Vinnie sent?" he asked, brandishing a crowbar and a step ladder.

"Who's Vinnie?" Daniel asked. "I'm picking up Boss Giovanni's order."

"Sorry kid, bit of a precaution. There's been too many guys who think they can just steal all of the boss's orders." The man said, his expression softening. "Lemme help you with that."

The man with the crowbar prised the top off the crate to reveal that it was indeed full of tomatoes, but underneath the layer of tomatoes were several smaller long wooden crates.

"Lemme guess. Assault weapons?" Daniel asked as the man rummaged around in the crate.

"A few of 'em are shotguns too." The man said before finding a small black suitcase. "Here she is. Old Pablo's _pacificador_. May he rest in peace."

The man handed Daniel the case and he opened it to check the contents. Sure enough, fit snug inside a silk red cushion sat Old Pablo's BFR. It was a huge black revolver with intricate silver and gold grape vines detailed along the frame and barrel of the gun. The handle was made of beautifully polished maple wood. In one corner of the case sat a small envelope with a red wax seal. On the other side of the envelope was curvy handwriting that looked like it had been written with a quill. It simply read 'To Giovanni'.

"Yep, it looks like everything's here." Daniel said, snapping the case shut. "Thanks for getting this to Roanapur. Now I'd better get this to Giovanni."

"Not so fast!" Shouted someone accompanied to the sound of numerous guns cocking. "Turn around nice and slow, with the case on the ground!"

Daniel carefully put the case on the ground and turned around with his hands up. What he saw was around eight men with various weapons ranging from pistols to SMGs, and the leader was tapping an ancient looking .308 rifle against his shoulder.

"Alright, you with all that armour. Pick up the case and hold it and your other hand above your head. Then bring it to me." The leader grinned nastily, a badly rolled cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.

"How do I know you won't try to kill me?" Daniel asked.

"We're thieves by trade. Murder is bad for business." The leader snickered. "That black box you're carrying has a lot of importance to the boss of the Italian Mafia presence here in Roanapur since his daddy got what was comin' to him. And I believe that he'll be willing to pay a fairly unreasonable sum to keep that six-shooter out of an incinerator. Now gimme!"

Daniel looked at the rest of the goons and saw no other option. The other sailors also had their hands up and were backing away. Daniel picked up the case and rolled towards the gang when the sound of footsteps echoed from an alley.

"And just what is this? An armed robbery in broad daylight? Well I certainly can't allow this." said the figure emerging from the alley, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Who the hell is this clown?" shouted the leader, adjusting his grip on the rifle.

"Tremble in fear cowards, I am here to collect the bounty on your heads. For I am Lotton the Wizard!" he shouted, throwing his arms out to the sides and revealing the two pistols he had concealed in his admittedly badass longcoat.

"Alright I've heard enough! Perforate this motherfu-oof!" their leader began before Daniel slammed his fist into the man's gut. As he doubled over in pain and surprise Daniel caught the falling rifle and clubbed the man's head with the rifle butt before turning to the goons who were shooting at Lotton, who was amazingly dodging every bullet fired at him.

Daniel dropped the rifle and pulled out his Makarov before firing a bullet into the leg of a thug. As the thug screamed and fell, several others glanced in his direction before turning and firing at Daniel. Daniel heard bullets whizzing past from behind and in front of him and he dived out of the way. Looking up, he saw that the goons were falling one by one, with Lotton still dodging around the bullets. After the firing stopped, the goons were all dead or incapacitated, save the unconscious leader. Lotton walked up to Daniel and offered him a hand.

"You're lucky I got here just in time." He said as he helped Daniel to his feet.

"You're really good at dodging bullets." Daniel said. "Though I swore I saw you get hit a few times."

Lotton chuckled softly before pulling back his coat. "Well, great minds think alike." He said, revealing his bulletproof vest.

"Huh. Well I'll be damned. Didn't think anyone in Roanapur had as much common sense or paranoia as I did." Daniel said before looking at the gurgling leader. "So who's this guy? You said you were after the bounty on his head."

"He's the leader of a small time gang of thieves and muggers that has been making a lot of noise in other parts of Thailand before thinking that they might be able to strike it rich here. How wrong they were in the end." He said, walking over to the unconscious leader and zip-tying his hands behind his back. "How fortunate that your package delivery lured him out of hiding for me."

"Well thanks for the distraction." Daniel said. "I don't know how I would've gotten out of that without your help. Thanks Lotton!"

As Daniel skated off with the case, Lotton heaved the man up and started to carry him to the Roanapur Police Department. "Distraction? What distraction?"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel knocked on the door of the Italian Mafia's HQ, a permanently closed Laundromat. Daniel could see a trapdoor opening from behind a washing machine. The guard unlocked the door and held it open for Daniel.

"Mind your step going down. The ladder's a little rusty in places." He said, locking the door behind Daniel.

Daniel descended into the hideout and saw that it was modelled after one of those early nineteen thirties speak-easies. Giovanni and several other men in suits were playing a game of pool.

"Hey, there he is!" Giovanni said, resting the cue against his shoulder. "Right on time too. You got the package, Hermes?"

"Here you go boss, safe and sound." Daniel said, holding out the case. "There was also a letter in the case addressed to you. Not sure who from."

Giovanni took the case and opened it, setting the gun case down as he took out the envelope.

"This is definitely Papa's handwriting." He said, opening the envelope and reading the message inside. "Oh _mio dio dolce_. That… That just can't be!"

"Boss, what's wrong?" one of the grey suits asked.

"Papa, Old Pablo… How could he not tell me that sooner?" he said, collapsing onto a plush green leather chair. Eventually he composed himself and looked at Daniel. "Thank you for getting this to me. I suppose you'll be wantin' that green I promised ya earlier aren't ya? Here ya go Hermes, and don't spend it all in one place!"

Giovanni handed Daniel a wad of ten thousand dollars. "Thanks boss. Be sure to get back to me if you've got any more jobs." Daniel said as he started to leave.

"I'll keep that in mind!" he called as Daniel climbed up the ladder.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Bao was almost falling asleep. He checked his watch and was surprised to see that it was almost three in the morning!

"Alright kid, is this story going anywhere?" Bao yawned. "I dunno about you, but I need some fucking sleep."

"Well, you wanted to hear the story." Hermes said.

"You know what, just tell me about the last job, the one where you crossed the big million." Bao said. "I think I'll be able to stay awake long enough to hear about that one."

"My last job? Heh, yeah that one was a bit of a doozie. It involved some very specific cargo coming in from Venezuela. Roanapur still had one more horror in its freakshow, and I got a front row seat."

"Venezuela? Oh god, don't tell me it had something to do with those nightmare maids." Bao groaned, clutching his head.

"Sorry to disappoint you. But I have a feeling I won't be able to trust any Columbians in the future…"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Lotton, Sawyer, Daniel and thanks to a newly bought controller, Shenhua, were playing through Dungeon Run.

"Daniel, stop wasting all your bombs!" Shenhua chided. "We need them for final boss!"

"There's an item shop in the next level. We can buy more bombs there." Daniel said.

"No we can't, because _somebody _wanted a new hat. We don't have nearly enough gold." Lotton grumbled.

"Hey, it gives me plus five to damage. Not to mention it looks swanky as all hell." Daniel said.

Eventually Daniel's phone began to ring just as they reached a save point.

"This is Hermes."

"Hello amigo, this is the head of the Columbian Cartel." A strong Mexican accent drawled through the phone speaker. "I have something a good friend I have in Venezuela has told me that will arrive today and I need it picked up. An unmarked van should be coming later today to drop it off by the bridge entering Roanapur."

"What kind of package?" Daniel asked. He had learned it was wise to ask questions about what he was carrying after a job involving transporting several kilograms of cocaine would have landed him in jail if not for a hefty bribe given to the corrupt police department out of Daniel's own pocket. Since then he'd managed to make back the money lost, but he was still short a few thousand dollars.

"I have to say, I'm not sure. My friend just told me that I should be ready for a pleasant surprise. Said it had something to do with those old thorns in my side, the Lovelace family." The man said.

Lovelace. Now where had Daniel heard that name before?

"Alright, how much will you be willing to pay for this delivery and how urgently do you need it?'

"Well that all depends on what's inside. We'll discuss this more when you make the delivery." He said as the call ended.

Daniel flipped the phone shut before putting it in his pocket and getting up from the game.

"You're not… seriously taking that… job, are you?" Sawyer asked. "It's too… vague. It could… be anything."

"I need the money. I'm so close. I just need a little more." Daniel said as he went upstairs to get his equipment. As he did, he found the badge he received. So that's where he had heard the name before. He was pretty sure he still had the letter around somewhere too.

Daniel looked at the crest for a little while, watching the reflections the metal made as it glittered in the sunset. Daniel took the badge off its leather backing and fixed it to the shoulder of his combat armour. He thought it looked pretty cool. Holstering his Makarov and grenade pistol, he strode out the bedroom door and into the living room.

"I'll see you guys later tonight. I'm off to make a delivery then haggle with the Columbians." Daniel said, picking up an apple from the fruit bowl in the kitchen.

"Don't be late! It my turn to cook, and I'm making pork geng tonight!" Shenhua shouted.

"The last time you did I was emptying my bowels for the next five hours." Daniel muttered under his breath, quiet enough that Shenhua wouldn't toss a kukri into his ass.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel waited at the bridge outside Roanapur, impatiently tapping his foot. He'd long since put his rollerblade wheels in his messenger bag and was sitting on a concrete barrier. He looked up and saw three threadbare nooses hanging from the rusted steel and he shuddered.

He looked to his right and saw a white van with tinted windows speeding around a corner, almost tipping off the road! As it neared, Daniel stood up and waited for the van to slow. It braked suddenly and jolted to a halt in front of Daniel and the sliding door rolled open, revealing a nervous looking skinny bald man in jeans and a singlet.

He spoke so fast in Spanish that even if Daniel knew the language, he doubt he'd be able to keep up with the frantic man. Eventually he stopped babbling and dropped a large duffel bag with a surprisingly heavy duty lock on it at Daniel's feet. The frantic man said something else in a panicked tone before thrusting an envelope into his hand before slamming the door shut and the van sped off. Daniel looked thoroughly confused before shrugging and picking up the bag. He was surprised at its weight as he struggled to lift it onto his shoulder.

"What the hell is in this bag?! Rocks or something?" Daniel groaned as he staggered off to Roanapur. "I swear I'm going to have back problems after this job!"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was getting some odd looks from people as he trudged through Roanapur, and for once it wasn't because he was wearing enough body armour to cover a small elephant. Daniel felt the huge black duffel bag thudding against his back, but he could also hear whispering from the denizens of Roanapur.

"Did you hear?"

"That crazy pshyco bitch that blew up the Yellowflag?"

"I was there, she fucking trashed the place!"

"What about the little one? I heard she was even more dangerous!"

"No way, a shotgun umbrella? What is she, some kind of Batman villain?"

"No, I heard she was some kind of unstoppable cyborg!"

"I know a guy who she looked in the eyes. He was pissing the bed at night three weeks after that!"

"Then I heard she took a freaking China Lake out of her dress and blew up the Yelloflag's entrance!"

"So why the hell are they back in town?"

Daniel was wondering who the various people were talking about before he heard the roar of a car engine as it sped down the road. A bright red GTO screeched to a halt in front of Daniel and the car window rolled down, revealing a madly grinning Revy and a distressed Rock.

"Sup brat? You hear the news?" she asked as she cut the engine.

"Something about two psychopaths in Roanapur? I've counted more than two." Daniel snorted.

"Don't be fuckin' coy. It's the maids. They're back in town." She grinned wider.

"Maids?"

"Perhaps I should explain." Rock said, leaning closer to the window. "Not too long ago a maid from Venezuela by the name of Roberta came to Roanapur looking for Garcia Lovelace, her master who had been kidnapped. Lagoon Company was tasked with his delivery. Roberta destroyed the Yellowflag among other things in her pursuit of us until it reached a point where Roberta was facing off against Revy in a duel. It took Balalaika and the whole of Hotel Moscow to stop them fighting and even after that, they had a fistfight that ended in a draw."

"Then that bitch went insane after her master's father got blown to bits, then she hunted down this American black ops group with nothing but a god damned flintlock rifle! Then this mini maid shows up, trashes Bao's bar, and asks Rock if he could help him put a leash back on Roberta. Which works out exactly as you'd think it would. Needless to say, shit goes down, maid bitch loses a leg and most of her fingers as well as an eye I think and then mini maid shoots Rock with a blank and they all go home happily ever after." Revy finished. "Now they're back, and mini maid's broken that vow of hers never to return to this city. So here's what I'm guessing. There's only one thing that would get them to come back here. Or rather, one person. The same person that brought that fucking maid here in the first place."

At that particular moment, multiple things started to happen. A jeep roared around a corner with a bandaged woman in the driver's seat and a furious looking maid in the passenger side with a smoking China Lake grenade launcher. An explosion rocked the GTO and tore up the side of the street. People panicked and fled from the streets. But most disturbingly of all, Daniel's duffle bag started to squirm.

Daniel couldn't be more horrified.

Rock quickly reached around to the back seat and pushed open the door and Revy started cackling.

"Get in, brat! You're about to see how Lagoon Company handles its deliveries!"


	8. Chapter 8

Daniel wasn't exactly sure what he was doing. He was in the backseat of a screamingly fast red GTO being driven by a violence obsessed lunatic of a woman and her exasperated pet Japanese businessman with the child head of a Venezuelan crime family locked in a duffle bag next to Daniel with said child head's crazy ass maids in a jeep ramming their car from behind as they both sped down the streets of Roanapur.

"Why the fuck did I go with you people again?!" shouted Daniel, trying to keep his balance as Revy turned sharply around a corner, almost throwing him on top of the bagged Garcia.

"Fuck up brat, we're saving your life! Rock, take the wheel!" Revy shouted back before leaning out the window and firing off a few shots from both her pistols.

Another explosion threw up stones and rubble from the road behind the car as another of the maid's grenades impacted with the ground. Daniel leaned out of another window and his eyes met with both of the women in the jeep. The bandaged woman's eyes spoke of nothing but cold, calculating death, while the one in the maid outfit stared back at him with pure rage.

Daniel ducked back into the car and grabbed the bag holding Garcia and was about to open the door when he heard Revy's gun click as it was redirected towards him.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going brat?" she asked venomously.

"They're chasing us because we've got Garcia. I'm gonna return him. I'm not the kind of guy who'd make his business in child trafficking." Daniel said.

"Oh no you're not. See, ever since I heard that those maids have come back into town my trigger finger's been twitching uncontrollably. Even though that crazy psycho maid bitch with the glasses looks like she's out of commission, I wanna fight that mini maid. Show her and her fancy footwork how I'm not someone to be fucked with." She said. Daniel could hear the malice in her tone and the vicious grin on her face. "And I'm not about to let you get away with the one thing that makes them wanna fight me."

Daniel's hand edged toward the door handle as Revy's finger squeezed tighter and tighter on her trigger. Another explosion rocked the car just enough to force Revy to move her gun away from Daniel. Slamming open the car door with his foot and unholstering his Makarov, Daniel grabbed Garcia and leapt for the door.

"Sorry Revy, I don't take orders from you." Daniel spat as he passed by her mid leap.

Daniel thumped onto the ground and rolled, his combat armour taking most of the damage as both cars rumbled by and disappeared around the corner. As Daniel rolled to a stop, he let go of Garcia and laid the bag down. But how was he going to undo the lock?

"Sorry Garcia, but this might be a little loud." Daniel said as he pointed the Makarov at the lock. He was just about to pull the trigger when he heard the screeching of tires and the rumble of an engine behind him. Daniel turned around to see the jeep sliding to a halt in front of him. The woman in the maid outfit grabbed Daniel by the collar of his combat armour and hauled him into the back of the jeep.

Daniel grunted as he landed in the jeep and was about to get up when the other woman pointed a pistol at him without even looking back!

"Don't move. Don't talk. Try to escape or call for help and you will die here." She said coldly, causing a shiver to run up and down Daniel's spine. "Fabiola? Retrieve the young Master."

The other maid nodded and jumped out of the car before returning with the duffle bag and looking at Daniel.

"What should we do with him?"

"We knock him out and take him back to the hotel. He'll give us the information we need." The other one said.

"Wait a minute, I know who you are now!" Daniel realised, just as the maid put a damp rag over his face. Daniel felt himself getting woozy and eventually he lost consciousness.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel woke up stripped of his equipment and tied to a chair in a tiny dark room. He swore it was a cupboard of some kind. His hands were bound expertly behind his back and his feet were tied to the chair. It seemed they had searched every inch of his person since he couldn't feel any of his usual concealed tools or weapons. At least he wasn't injured. Yet.

"Damn it, why does this kind of shit keep happening to me?" he grumbled, struggling against the ropes.

The door opened and painful light streamed into the cupboard. A hand reached in and dragged Daniel to the floor before he felt a shoe come down onto his neck, threatening to break it.

"Why did you kidnap the young Master?" hissed a voice from above.

"I didn't!" Daniel said. "I was only the delivery person! I didn't know Garcia was in the bag!"

"How do you know the young Master?" she demanded. "And who was it that gave you the job? Answer me!"

"You mean you don't remember? I met you on that beach in Jamaica!"

The woman stepped off Daniel's neck and up righted him, so he was now face to face with the bandaged woman.

"Yes, I remember you now. I must say I didn't expect to run into you again." She said. "You must be Daniel. I remember the young Master sent you a package once."

"He did. But I suppose I should answer your other questions." Daniel said. "I was contacted by the Columbian Cartel here in Roanapur to deliver a bag of goods, but they didn't say what it was. The boss of the cartel said even he didn't know what it was. All he said was that an old friend in Venezuela had sent him something that would make him very happy and it had something to do with the Lovelace family. I never imagined I would be transporting the captured family head."

The woman gripped Daniel's hair and pulled his face closer to hers, almost tearing out Daniel's hair. "That still does not explain why you tried to end the young Master's life!"

"I was trying to shoot the lock off the bag!" Daniel said in a pained voice. "I didn't have the key, so I saw no other option!"

"Hmph. A likely story." She said, letting go of his hair. "Well, you seem to be fairly innocent in all this, don't you?"

"I have a feeling that's not going to stop you from trying to torture me." Daniel said, seeing the look in the woman's eye. It was entirely different from when he saw her eyes in Jamaica. They were full of cold and malice, as well as cruel delight and twisted nostalgia.

The woman cracked a thin smile and pulled an unexpectedly small knife from within her dress. "Now what would be the reason in that?"

"Well, if that's all you needed from me, would you kindly untie me and show me to the exit?" Daniel asked. The small knife flashed as it sliced across Daniel's cheek. Daniel gasped in pain and surprise, but when he did the woman's hand darted into his mouth and drew out his tongue before holding the knife over it.

"Not yet Pequeña. There is one last thing that I want you to tell me. And any lies or smart comments out of you and I will give you a very detailed lesson on some very nasty things I learned when I was known as the Bloodhound of Florencia." She said in a motherly voice before her expression turned to a deathly scowl as she let go of his tongue. "You have told me who is responsible, yes? Now tell me, where are they located?"

"I… I don't know." Daniel said. It was only then that it struck him that the Columbians forgot to tell him where to go. "I think they just expected me to call them back after I picked up the package."

The woman stood up to her full height again, pacing around the room. Daniel looked down and saw that her artificial leg had been replaced by something he didn't expect to see. A SPAS 12 shotgun. The knife flashed again and Daniel felt the ropes fall from his hands. Rubbing his wrists, he looked at the woman again.

"Well, it would be impolite to keep them waiting for your call." She said, holding up his mobile phone.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel held the phone up to his ear as he felt the pistol barrel resting against his temple. It appeared that first appearances were bullshit after all.

"Hello. That you, little amigo?" came the thick Mexican accent through the phone's speaker. "Did the pickup go okay?"

"Yeah. Just tell me where the cartel HQ is and I'll drop it off for you." Daniel said as convincingly as a person having a gun to his head could sound.

"Keep it down you little shit!" shouted the cartel leader. "You must've heard the news by now! The Bloodhound is back in Roanapur."

"Bloodhound?"

"A right crazy bitch amigo. Pray to all the gods you can that you don't run into her." The man said. Daniel rolled his eyes at that comment. It was a little late for words like that. "Anyway, I've picked a place for you to drop off the package as far away from the cartel as possible. There's a hotel under the cartel's heel that you can drop off the ki- the package. It's one of the crossroads on the main street. Stay safe amigo."

With that, the call ended and Daniel put the phone back in his pocket.

"What did he tell you?" demanded the woman.

"He's heard that you two were back in town because of Garcia. At some point he found out that I was going to be transporting Garcia. He's decided to have the drop point as far away from their headquarters as possible." Daniel said, relieved when the woman lifted the gun away from his head.

"Well then, this complicates things." She sighed.

"But why are you going after the Columbians anyway? You have Garcia, so why not leave this city of vice and sin?"

The bandaged woman looked Daniel in the eyes and spoke so clearly it was like it was the only thing Daniel could hear.

"This city has committed too many crimes against our family. Today we give them retribution."

Daniel knew the meaning of retribution. He'd dealt it out himself at one point. The door to the small room creaked open, revealing both the maid and a mildly wounded and bandaged Garcia.

"Hello Roberta. Daniel." He said as he walked into the room.

"Young Master." Roberta curtsied in greeting. "I've gotten the information we need out of one of your captors."

"I swear I didn't know I was carrying you until during the car chase." Daniel said.

"It's alright." Garcia said politely. "But what isn't alright is this city. It has done too much to us for us to ignore what it has done to us. But I do not want you destroying the Columbians. Your past is soaked in blood enough as it is Roberta."

"But young Master…"

"Garcia is right." Daniel said. "Believe me, retribution isn't easy to get out of. I murdered most of the high ranking officers of the Italian Mafia presence here in Roanapur, and it almost cost me my life from numerous sources. I doubt Hotel Moscow, the Triad or the new Mafia will tolerate any more wide scale destruction."

Garcia nodded. "We cannot murder every Columbian in Roanapur. Instead I have made a new plan. Daniel will make a delivery, but it won't be the one they'll be expecting."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

After Garcia told them about the details of his new plan, Roberta and the maid, who Daniel learned was named Fabiola, left the room leaving Daniel with Garcia.

"I had hoped we would meet again under better circumstances." Garcia said, walking over to a couch and taking a seat. "Just as much as I hoped never to see Roanapur again."

"Right." Daniel said, feeling incredibly awkward. "Listen, I didn't know you were in the bag. If I had learned earlier then I would have gotten you out of it much earlier."

"Don't worry Daniel. I know you would never do anything to harm someone on purpose." Garcia said. "But now that I'm talking with you, I must ask you something. You have the crest I sent you on your armour. Does that mean you have you decided on taking up my offer? The Lovelace family could use someone like you."

"No thanks Garcia. I'm sure you remembered what I said in Jamaica. After I leave Roanapur behind, I'm never coming back. I'm going to leave my criminal past behind me and never look back. So I'm sorry Garcia, but I won't join your family."

"And yet you wore my family crest." He said.

"It looks nice." Daniel shrugged.

"It does, doesn't it?" Garcia laughed. "Well, I wish you luck for the future. But before you leave, I must ask you if you can help us. No matter how much Fabiola and Roberta assure me they'll be alright, I cannot in good conscience let them go alone. So I ask you, will you protect them?"

"I dunno. I'm not really a mercenary. That's more Lagoon Company's shtick." Daniel said.

"I'm never going to interact with Lagoon Company ever again." Garcia spat. "We have a bad history with them."

"I see." Daniel said, thinking it over. "I have to say, I'm not entirely fond of the Columbians either. Child Trafficking is one of the things I'm not willing to do to get by here. Even though I really don't think your maid and that woman with the shotgun leg don't need protecting, I'll do my best to keep them out of unnecessary danger."

"Thank you Daniel." Garcia said, nodding his head. "I think it would be best if I returned your equipment then. You, Roberta and Fabiola have a job to do."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel, once again in his combat armour with all of his equipment, rollerbladed towards the dingy looking hotel, the duffle bag on his back. It was much heavier than when Garcia was inside it, but he made every effort to shoulder the burden. Opening the door, he saw that it was a fairly normal low cost hotel. Wallpaper was peeling from the greying walls and some very unsettling dark spots were on the bulging ceiling, and not all of them looked like they were caused by leaking water.

The man at the counter saw Daniel as he took off his wheels and sighed, keeping his head firmly on the counter supported by his folded arms.

"Up the stairs, down the hall and through the door on your left. The password is _destripar el pascado_." The man said before returning to sleep.

"Gut the fish?" came a muffled voice from inside Daniel's bag. "What kind of a password is that?"

"Shush." Daniel whispered as he followed the man's instructions. Eventually when he reached the door, he opened it to find the room filled with five men. One of them was sitting on the bed polishing a golden revolver, and Daniel immediately guessed he was the leader. "Are you picking up for the Columbian head?"

"Give us the password and we'll tell you. Else I might get to see what your insides look like." A goon in a corner of the room said, picking his teeth with a bowie knife. Why was it that people thought that was a good idea?

"Destripar el pascado." Daniel said, even though he was sure he was utterly botching the pronunciation.

"You need to work on your Spanish little amigo." Laughed the leader, who scratched at a vicious looking scar going down the right side of his face. "Yeah, I'm picking up for Juan. Now let's see the kid. We don't want our boss to get the corpse of a brat that looks like a pulped and rotten tomato."

Daniel laid the bag down on the floor and unzipped it. Just as the leader looked into the bag, two legs in white stockings shot out of the bag, slamming into the man's scarred face and knocking him onto the bed, the golden revolver firing into the ceiling and bouncing on the bed.

The other goons readied their weapons and the one picking his teeth with the bowie knife lunged at Daniel, but Daniel was faster. Stepping to the side and elbowing the man in the face, he grabbed the knife and the man's shirt before throwing him against the wall and pinning him to the wall by stabbing the bowie knife through his arm.

Fabiola was up in a matter of milliseconds with a pair of MAG-7s in her gloved hands. The thugs that weren't out of commission tried to fire at her, but she dodged around every shot, spinning and kicking some thugs in the face. One of them pulled out an Uzi and started spraying bullets randomly. Stray bullets thudded into Daniel's armour harmlessly as he pulled out his Makarov and fired a bullet into the thug's arm. The gangster dropped the Uzi and shouted in pain as Fabiola fired into the man's leg.

Fabiola dropped her arms to her sides and sighed. "Are we done here? This place smells awful."

The gangster on the bed groaned and rubbed his head, groping for his revolver which Daniel snatched away.

"I don't think so." Daniel said.

"Do you want to get the information out of him? I'm not so good at interrogations. Not like Roberta anyway." Fabiola said, checking the magazines on her guns.

"Alright, fine. At least I have some experience with being interrogated." Daniel grumbled before looking at the chamber of the revolver and emptying it before putting a cartridge back in the chamber. Mustering up all the cruelty he could, he found an idea that might work. "Hey amigo, let's play a game. Here's how it works. You're going to answer a few of my questions. If I think you're lying to me, then I pull the trigger on your expensive looking revolver here. There's really only a one in six chance you'll have a bullet in your brain if you lie to me, but I still wouldn't take those odds if I were in your position. Now tell me, where's the Columbian Cartel's HQ?"

"Go fuck yourself, son of a whore!" roared the man before trying to get up, but Fabiola slammed her heel into his gut.

"Now that wasn't the answer I was looking for." Daniel said, spinning the chamber around before sliding it back into the gun and aiming it at the man's head and pulling the trigger.

Click.

"Now you've only got a one out of five chance of dying in pain. Still not great odds." Daniel said, thumbing back the hammer again. "Now let me try one more time. Where are your headquarters?"

"What makes me think I'm going to tell you?!"

Click.

"Only seventy five percent chance of survival. I have to say, you're fairly lucky. God must be on your side today." Daniel said, thumbing back the hammer. "We'll see how long that lasts. The odds are only getting lower."

"Go to hell!"

Click.

"Right after you answer a different question, since you won't answer my other one. Where is Juan?" Daniel asked, thumbing back the hammer again. "And remember, there's only a thirty three percent chance of you getting a bullet in your skull."

"I… I don't… Wait, he's on a boat. The Flying Guppy. HQ was too hot so he's decided to stay there until the news that the maids have gone, I swear that's all I know!"

"Well alright. That wasn't too hard, now was it?" Daniel asked, decoking the gun. "We'll be leaving now. And you can keep your gun. Not like I'll be using it."

Daniel tossed the revolver onto the bed and walked out the door with Fabiola. Before he closed the door, he heard three clicks coming from the bed. Daniel looked at the man who was staring at him and his gold plated revolver with rage.

"Fucking hell, I got duped by a kid?! There wasn't any stinking bullets in my gun! Just a spent casing!"

"Even I can't believe you fell for that." Fabiola snorted.

"I'll fucking gut you like a fish you piece of shit!" he roared, pulling a trench spike out of his belt and jumped at Daniel. Daniel moved towards the gangster and ducked before punching him in the gut.

"Nice try slugger." Daniel smirked. The gangster wobbled backwards, the knife still in his hand. Daniel kicked the gangster in the chin with his rollerblade boot, sending the gangster toppling back onto the floor.

"Are you finished yet? We need to get back to Roberta!" Fabiola asked impatiently, tapping her foot on the ragged carpet.

As Daniel and Fabiola left the hotel, the jeep pulled up with Roberta in the driver's seat wearing her maid outfit.

"Get in."

Fabiola and Daniel clambered into the jeep. Daniel was barely able to get his seatbelt on in time before Roberta started speeding off.

"So where are they?" she asked.

"A boat. Most likely a yacht." Fabiola reported. "The Flying Guppy."

"Juan is likely to have a lot of body guards there, so there's probably going to be a lot of resistance." Daniel said, loading a grenade into his pistol.

"I hardly think that'll be a problem." Roberta smiled.

Daniel turned around in his seat and saw one of the reasons for that.

A very large green crate lay strapped to the back of the jeep. Daniel could only guess at the exact contents, but he had a feeling he knew what exactly was in the crates.

"Been doing a little shopping at the Rip-Off Church?" Daniel asked.

"Their prices are very agreeable."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

When the jeep arrived at the docks, they found that the entire place was emptied of vessels. Even the small fishing boats were gone. All the boats that weren't evacuated had been sunk.

"Great, now how are we supposed to catch them?" Fabiola asked.

"We could hire Lagoon Company's boat." Daniel suggested.

"No! I will never!" Fabiola protested. "I never want to see that demon of a woman ever again!"

"I doubt we have much of a choice. There's no boats in this dock and if we want to catch up with them, we'll need a boat. A fast one." Roberta said.

Fabiola was about to protest again, but she thought better of it. "Alright fine."

"Alright, I'll give them the call." Daniel said. "Will we be taking that big crate with us?"

"Yes. It is something I've been waiting a while to use." Roberta said. "I'll get it out of the box."

Daniel dialled Lagoon Company and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hey there, this is Lagoon Company, your friendly neighbourhood mercenaries. How can I help you?"

"Hey Benny, this is Daniel. I need to hire you guys as a transport." He said.

"Sounds fine. How much stuff is coming aboard and where do you want us to go?"

"We're looking for a ship. The Flying Guppy. It should still be hanging around Roanapur." Daniel said. "And it'll be three people coming aboard including myself."

"Wait, you don't have anything to do with those maids, do you?" Benny asked.

"Afraid so Benny. You guys are our only chance at getting to the head of the Columbian cartel, who decided it would be funny to kidnap Garcia Lovelace. Needless to say, Roberta and Fabiola are going to ask Juan very nicely to give them a lot of money."

"Well, this is a very high risk operation…" Benny said. "I'll have to talk to Dutch about it."

"I'll pay you double the amount you normally charge."

"This is a special case…"

"Triple?"

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Half."

"You're an idiot."

"Alright, alright. I'll let you talk to Dutch." Daniel said. "Will you give me a call back with your answer?"

"Don't doubt it." Benny said before hanging up.

Daniel sat down on a mooring point and watched Roberta and Fabiola assembling what looked like some kind of giant rifle.

"This is going to be an interesting night." Daniel said to himself.

After a few minutes of weapon maintenance Daniel's phone started to ring again.

"This is Hermes."

"This is Dutch. I'm returning your call about the job you wanted us to do." He said. "Are you absolutely sure that you want us to endanger yourselves and my ship and my crew so you and those two little maids can go on another killing spree? I thought you learned your lesson from that incident with the Italian Mafia."

"We're not going to kill the Columbians. Roberta and Fabiola are going to get the cartel head to give the Lovelace family enough money to cover the damages brought on by kidnapping, assault and conspiracy to murder. They're on strict orders from Garcia, and I don't think they'll go against their master's wishes."

"While that does sound like a lucrative venture, it also reeks of lunacy. What if the cartel opens fire on us? It's going to be like that mess Chang bailed you out of when we're forced to defend ourselves."

Daniel tried to think of a response, but he really didn't know what to say. "You have a point."

"However, I think I'll accept your job. Revy seems particularly excited about seeing you and the maids again. Not to mention the fact that we'd had a bit of a run in with the Columbians ourselves, and we're looking for some recompense as well." Dutch said. "We'll see you shortly."

Dutch hung up and Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what's the situation?" asked Fabiola.

"They'll be here shortly." Daniel said, jumping off the mooring point. "Hopefully Revy won't try to kill any of us on sight."

Roberta stood up from assembling her weapon and wrapped it up in a cloth before throwing the wrapped gun onto her shoulder.

"What's that?" Daniel asked, pointing at the long wrapped rifle.

"Something for if those stinking Cartel thugs get any ideas about attacking us." Roberta said.

"Just pray she doesn't have to use it. I've seen it before once. Not a pretty sight." Fabiola said.

"Let's hope." Daniel agreed, fiddling with his own equipment, wondering what kind of weapon Roberta had.

After what seemed like ages of waiting, Daniel finally spied the torpedo boat roaring towards the dock. As it stopped, Daniel saw Revy leaning over the railing, that same vicious smirk on her face and a cigarette between her jagged teeth.

"Hey there brat. Looks like you need our help, am I right?"

"Yeah. Now if you'd kindly lower the gangplank-"

"Sorry, but that ain't gonna happen. Unless you accept my demand." She interrupted, holding up the gangplank. "After your little meeting with those fucking Columbians, I want a fight. I really wanted to fight that glasses bitch, but she doesn't look like she'd put up much of a fight in her current state."

"Appearances can be deceiving, you little urchin." Roberta spat.

"And then I wanted to fight the mini maid, since she looked like more fun to beat up. But after what you said to me right before you jumped out of my car…" she said, letting the ash drop from her cigarette. "That made me want to slug you right across the fuckin' jaw. So after you talk to the cartel, it's a one on one fistfight between you and me. No guns, no pussy armour to hide behind, and no rollerblades. The winner is the first person to get knocked out. So what do you say ya weak little brat? Too scared, or do we got ourselves a deal?"

Daniel looked at Revy with cold eyes. He realised that he loathed her. Hated her with every fibre of his being. Maybe it was because she represented everything Roanapur had to offer. But right now, like Roanapur itself, she was his only hope of getting home.

"Alright. But don't expect much of a fight." Daniel said.

"Atta boy!" Revy laughed, dropping the gangplank down with a crash. "Come aboard me hearties, we're going after Columbians!"

"Disgusting woman." Spat Fabiola.

As Daniel, Fabiola and Roberta climbed up the gangplank, Roberta grabbed onto Daniel's shoulder.

"Are you sure you will be alright to fight that woman?" she asked.

"Of course I won't. She's too strong. I know she'll beat me, but I don't care. I'll get up after that with a smile, knowing I'll be able to leave this city for good." Daniel said solemnly, the hints of a smile on his lips.

"Provided she doesn't kill you first." Roberta snorted. She was quiet until they'd gotten onto the deck before speaking again. "I have fought Revy once before. While we are finding those cartel pigs, let me show you some techniques you can use so you may stand a chance in a fight against her."

Daniel looked at Roberta and smiled. "Thank you."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was laying on his back below deck, feeling incredibly tired. Roberta had been running him ragged in preparation with his fight with Revy, and he hadn't forgotten about the fact that they had to face the Columbians at any given moment. So all he could do now was try to get a quick nap.

A knock sounded from the door and Daniel sat up before it creaked open and Benny walked in. "Hey guy, long time no see." He said cheerfully, holding a can of beer and a coffee mug. "Here, this ought to keep you awake."

"Thanks." Daniel said, taking the mug and having a sip.

"So I heard about how you were going to fight Revy." Benny said. "You know, there's easier ways to get yourself killed."

"I have a feeling I don't have any choice in the matter. It's not like I'll have anywhere to run." Daniel said, shrugging before taking another sip of coffee.

"Smart man." Benny said, sitting down next to Daniel. "Anyway, I came down here to tell you that we've located the Guppy. Dutch's changed course and we should arrive there in a few minutes."

"Thanks Benny." Daniel said. "You've been a good friend to me in Roanapur."

"Ah don't mention it. I'm only happy to help." Benny grinned. "Anyway, I hope you understand if I root for Revy in the upcoming fight. She'd kick my ass if I didn't."

"Heh. Sure." Daniel snorted. "I'd best get ready too."

After Benny left, Daniel put on his armour, loaded his pistols and set his goggles on his helmet. In his bandolier he stored his last five smoke grenades. Lastly, he strapped on his rollerblade boots but didn't put on the wheels. He didn't want to be sliding around on the ship if they had to fight. When Daniel made his way above deck he found Roberta, Fabiola, Rock and Revy were waiting.

"Why is Rock coming along?" Daniel asked.

"Because he's the best fucking negotiator in this sorry excuse for a city. Juan is a tough nut to crack, but I have a feeling that Rock will be able to get you the money you wanted." Revy said.

"By the way, how much were you planning on collecting from them?" Rock asked Roberta.

"The young Master has told us that only five hundred thousand dollars will satisfy him." Roberta said.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Daniel asked.

"The cartel has done a horrible misdeed to us in kidnapping our young master. There is nothing I would rather do than to end every one of the lives responsible," Roberta said, her fist tightening before relaxing. "But I will never harm the young master in that way again."

Rock went quiet, as did Daniel and Fabiola. Revy just snorted. Benny climbed up onto the deck and called to the group.

"Hey guys, I've got Juan on the line! And he's willing to negotiate!"


	9. Finale

Daniel, Roberta, Fabiola, Rock and Benny were at the communications station talking to Juan. The comms crackled as Benny tried to get the frequency back, until finally they heard the voice of Juan testing the microphone.

"Okay Juan, the gang's all here. So what was it that you needed to know?"

"So why are you crazy bitches after me? I heard that you and that bastardo Hermes almost killed the men that were supposed to pick up my package. Explain yourselves!" crackled his raging voice over the speakers.

"You kidnapped the young master, and we are seeking recompense." Roberta said in a businesslike manner. "Five hundred thousand dollars will be the only amount we will accept."

"You stupid bitch, that'll all but bankrupt me!" roared the speakers.

"Need I remind you sir, that the woman you are talking to is Roberta. She was once known as the Bloodhound of Florencia, and had a reputation that spread far and wide. If you wish to keep your men and yourself alive, it would be better to be civil with her." Rock said calmly.

No sound came from the speakers before Juan started talking again. "My sincere apologies. But please, you must understand my position. The cartel has been weak since a large raid on our production plants and crop fields by the police. Now all that land has been stolen by the Lovelace family! By giving you five hundred thousand, it would take months; years even, to become productive again!"

"You should have thought of that before kidnapping the young master!" Fabiola said indignantly.

"I didn't know until my men who were transporting him contacted me!"

"And yet you wanted me to deliver him anyway after you learned of the bag's contents." Daniel said. "Meaning that you were either fully intending to do something horrible to Garcia anyway, or something else entirely. If that is indeed true, then coughing up the money would probably be marginally better than coughing up your organs one by one due to what Miss Roberta will do to you."

The speaker went quiet again before Juan spoke. "You have a point. I'll have the money ready by the time you arrive."

And with that, the speaker turned to static.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel stood at the bow of the Black Lagoon, watching the Flying Guppy draw closer and closer. Setting his goggles over his eyes, he heard Fabiola, Roberta and Revy walk up behind him.

"Hopefully everything goes according to plan." Daniel said, a hand patting his grenade pistol, loaded up with a tear gas grenade.

"I don't give a shit. I just want this to be over so I can punch your fuckin' lights out." Revy snorted.

"Be civil." Roberta commanded, earning nothing but a scoff from Revy.

Eventually the Lagoon drew alongside the Guppy. Daniel saw several people, including the scarred man with the golden revolver he interrogated along with his goons from the hotel. Daniel then saw a man carrying a briefcase.

Revy slid across the gangplank and Daniel, Roberta and Fabiola marched across it, with Roberta taking the lead.

"We're here to collect the money owed to Master Garcia Lovelace." Roberta said.

"Of course, of course." The man said, holding the case out in front of him. "Here you are, all five hundred grand."

Roberta took the case and tossed it to Daniel. He was surprised to find that the case was much heavier than he expected a briefcase full of paper money to be.

Daniel watched the man put his hands behind his back before he spoke again. "There you are, now please, kindly get off our boat."

Fabiola and Roberta turned to leave, but Daniel held his armoured hand up. "Wait a minute. There's no money in this case. I should know, I've carried around this much money before."

Daniel saw the rest of the Columbians visibly tense while Fabiola looked at him exasperatedly.

"Don't be so suspicious. I doubt they would be foolish enough to try that."

"Fabiola, it is wise not to trust anyone in Roanapur." Roberta said, taking the case from Daniel's hand and launching it overboard.

"Hey! Glasses bitch, what the hell do you think you're-" Revy started before she was interrupted by the briefcase exploding in a bright red fireball.

"Damn it, I thought we had them that time!" cursed the man, tossing a detonator to the side before pulling out a sawed-off shotgun and firing a blast at Roberta.

Roberta leapt upwards out of the way of the shotgun blast before cocking her shotgun leg and firing back at the man, several pellets cracking against the wooden deck as they tore through the man's legs.

Daniel pulled out his grenade pistol and fired the gas grenade at a clump of thugs, causing to fall to the ground, coughing and spluttering. Bullets whizzed past his head from other cartel goons, and as he pulled out his Makarov, Fabiola ran towards them, kicking and firing her MAG-7s as she went until they were all down. Doors from inside the boat burst open as more thugs ran out, guns blazing. Daniel rolled and fired his Makarov, his bullets tearing into the arms of the Columbians.

Revy grabbed onto Daniel's shoulder and threw him to the ground, laughing. "Outta my way bitches, it's my turn!"

Revy launched herself at the thugs who concentrated all their fire onto her, but Revy dodged and span around every bullet, returning with volleys of her own. Thugs fell from bullets in their heads, chests and shoulders, and others fled back through the boat. Revy cackled as she gave chase, disappearing into the boat.

"Revy!" Shouted Dutch, who had reached the deck just as the fighting started. "Damn it, Revy? Fuck, I knew this would happen!"

"We need to get after her before she kills too many people. More importantly Juan." Daniel said.

"Alright, but be careful. I don't want my paycheck dying on me." Dutch said, returning to the Lagoon.

Daniel nodded and ran through the door, reloading his grenade pistol with a flashbang shot. Holstering it and holding his Makarov in both hands, he followed the path of destruction Revy left behind. Broken and bloodied bodies, slammed against walls, thrown onto floors and stepped on by her uncaring combat boots. Blood dripped down the steel walls of the yacht as Daniel moved forwards, looking for the woman responsible. Eventually he heard more gunshots as he ran towards the source of the noise. When he rounded the corner and turned his head, he saw Revy levelling her pistol at his head.

"Wait, don't!"

Bang.

The bullet drilled into Daniel's goggles, the bullet stopping just short from penetrating completely. Daniel shuddered as Revy dropped her arm to her side.

"The fuck are you doing, trying to scare me like that?! I could have killed you, dumbass!" she roared. "I can't fucking fight you if you're dead!"

"At least I know my goggles were bulletproof." Daniel said, taking the goggles off before removing the bullet. "Damn. These things are useless now."

"Whatever." Revy said, turning and walking down the corridor, leaving bloody bootprints. "Let's just find Juan so we can get your money."

Daniel followed Revy down the hallway when a feeling of dread passed over him. He heard the sound of a motor starting to whirr and the crashing thud of metal on metal. It sounded like giant metal feet stomping on the metal corridors of the yacht.

"What's that sound?" Daniel asked, thumbing back the hammer on his Makarov.

"Shut up and keep quiet." Revy said, peeking around a corner before rounding it.

As Daniel rounded the corner, he saw two large metal doors crash open. Behind the doors was what looked like a beefy man covered entirely by propane tanks that had been turned into armour and on his back were two scuba tanks piping air to the helmet, which was a small propane tank with eyeholes covered in glass. In his hands was a minigun, the turret spinning and ready to fire.

Daniel felt every muscle in his body tense before reaching out to Revy's gun harness and pulling her back around the corner just as a torrent of bullets crashed against the metal walls of the yacht.

"The fuck was that for?!" Revy cursed, spittle flying into Daniel's face.

"Excuse me, but I just saved your ass! You can't fight me if you're dead! Now let's get out of here before that thing turns us into ground beef!" Daniel shouted, running down the corridor, Revy in begrudging pursuit.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" shouted the echoing voice of Juan, coming from inside the heavy metal armour as he rounded the corner.

Revy turned around, still running backwards and fired both her guns at Juan. Sparks flew as the bullets deflected off the armour. Revy cursed and started to run faster. Juan fired off another stream of bullets, and they thudded all around the hallway, missing Daniel. But Revy wasn't as lucky. A large bullet tore itself into Revy's knee, shattering the kneecap with a sickening crunch. Revy shouted in rage and pain before collapsing to the metal floor.

Daniel looked behind him at Revy and cursed under his breath. Pulling out two smoke grenades from his bandolier, he pulled the pins and lobbed them both at Juan, white smoke exploding all around the armoured Columbian.

"Come on!" Daniel shouted, pulling Revy onto his shoulders and running from Juan.

"I fucking hate you, you know that ya little brat?" Revy cursed. "I bet you think this means I'm not gonna kick the shit outta you, don't cha?"

"Let's dispense with the insults for when we're not running for our lives!" Daniel shouted back, his boots clanging against the metal floor. Eventually he reached above deck, where Dutch, Roberta and Fabiola were waiting for him.

"What's happened? What was that noise?" Fabiola asked.

"Shit, Revy. What happened to your knee?" Dutch asked.

"Revy got hit." Daniel said, setting Revy down. "Juan's got a minigun and some very heavy looking armour."

"So what do we do?" Fabiola asked.

Roberta looked back to the Black Lagoon and started running to the gangplank.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Daniel shouted.

"Heh. Looks like the Bloodhound of Florencia is running away with her tail between her bitch legs." Revy scoffed before gritting her teeth in pain, trying to move her leg into a more comfortable position. "Hey Dutch, are you gonna gimme a hand or just stand there all day gawking?"

"Your wound looks bad Revy, but it looks like it'll be fine. There's some first aid stuff on the boat. I'm gonna go get it, and see what that maid's up to." Dutch said before turning to Daniel. "You're one lucky son of a bitch, you know that?"

"Why do you say that?"

"If you were gonna fight Revy one on one in top condition, she'd floor you in a second."

"Hey Dutch, I'm kind of in pain here!" Revy shouted.

Dutch ran back across the gangplank without another word to get the first aid. When Dutch disappeared below the deck of the torpedo boat, the door on the yacht broke open, revealing the heavily armoured form of Juan.

"Okay you little shits, it's time I put you down once and for all!" Juan roared, the minigun turret spinning up, aimed at Daniel.

Daniel rolled out of the way of the storm of bullets before running around Juan, loading an explosive shot into his grenade pistol. Fabiola fired both her MAG-7s into Juan's back, the pellets bouncing off the armour, leaving only small dings and dents. Juan roared with laughter as he whirled around, minigun firing madly.

"My god am I glad I had this made! As soon as I heard you fucking maids were in Roanapur, I took a page out of the little messenger's book! I have to say I can see why he wanted to be bulletproof! This armour is freakin' unbelievable!"

Daniel jumped over a low stream of minigun fire and fired the grenade shot into Juan. The grenade exploded, sending Juan staggering backwards, but he was otherwise unharmed!

"Hahaha! You're going to need a fucking anti-tank rifle if you want to put a scratch on me!" Juan laughed.

A look of understanding crossed Fabiola's face before she returned to her normal determined glare. Throwing her two handheld shotguns to the ground she reached down the back of her dress and pulled out what Daniel thought was some kind of pump action grenade launcher!

Fabiola pulled the trigger and the grenade exploded against Juan's back, sending him stumbling forward. Daniel pulled out his Makarov and fired off a shot into the glass eyehole, but the bullet just cracked the glass!

"Whew, looks like that bulletproof glass was worth the money!" Juan laughed, raising his minigun. "And then again, so was this!"

Daniel dived out of the way of the storm of lead. Scrambling to his feet, he kept running from the trail of bullets tearing up the wooden deck. Fabiola leapt up behind Juan and raised her foot above her head just as a flash of silver came from the heel of her shoe. As her foot came down her shoe knife sliced through the tubes connecting the scuba tanks to Juan's helmet. Juan didn't seem to notice but he whirled around, firing a blast at Fabiola, who gracefully dodged out of the way.

Two loud bangs came from Revy as she fired her twin cutlasses at Juan, gritting her teeth against the pain in her leg. The bullets bounced harmlessly against the thick metal armour. Juan roared as he turned the minigun against Revy, but before he could pull the trigger, Daniel leapt at the minigun turret and shoved it away, the stream of bullets barely missing Revy's prone form.

"Fucking insolent coward!" shouted Juan again, swinging his minigun around and into Daniel's face, sending him spiralling towards the edge of the yacht. Juan was about to fire again at Daniel when Fabiola launched another grenade into Juan, knocking him off balance.

As Daniel scrambled to his feet he saw Roberta get out from below the deck of the Lagoon, the wrapped up rifle leaning on her shoulder. Roberta looked at the armoured, hulking form of Juan and tore the cloth off the rifle, revealing the weapon in all its terrifying glory.

"Hey Juan, remember when you said we'd need an anti-tank rifle to get through that armour of yours?" Daniel shouted. Juan turned around to look at him questioningly.

A loud bang rang through the air as a bullet tore itself through Juan's armour. The long barrel of Roberta's giant rifle smoked slightly as Roberta yanked back the bolt again for another shot.

Revy dropped the cigarette she was trying to light when she saw the rifle. "Oh. Fuck, that's an anti-tank rifle."

"Oh FUCK, that's an anti-tank rifle!" Juan yelled, bringing up his minigun again.

Daniel ran up behind Juan, tearing the pin from another smoke grenade and stuffing it into Juan's air tubes. Smoke billowed into his helmet, entirely blocking his vision. Juan screamed and started firing blindly, and Fabiola launched the last grenade in her launcher at Juan's hands and the explosion knocked the minigun from his grip. Roberta fired again and again with precision and ferocity, each bullet tearing through the metal armour, and causing Juan to stagger back to the edge of the boat while Revy just laughed and cheered them on, occasionally firing an ineffective shot at Juan's armour. When Roberta was finished, Juan was bleeding heavily, his helmet discarded.

"You are fucking devils. You couldn't just leave me alone! Why?! Why did you do this to me?!" screamed Juan.

Daniel stood in front of Juan, a high explosive shot in his hand, and in the other, his open grenade pistol.

"Retribution, Juan. You started this. You could have ended it without the need for all this bloodshed. Have you no compassion?" Daniel asked calmly. "I'm going to make Garcia's demands known one last time. Five hundred thousand dollars. Give us that money and we will leave you alone. If not? Well, let me put it this way. There's enough force in this explosive to knock you over the edge of this yacht. If the explosion doesn't kill you, you'll sink to the bottom of the ocean and drown without that helmet of yours. So what's your answer?"

"Go to hell!" roared Juan, gripping his left arm. "I didn't think I'd need this, but you've given me no choice!"

A small tube jutted from Juan's armoured wrist and he pointed it at Daniel. He squeezed his fist and a gout of flame roared into life. Daniel watched in horror as the flames encroached upon him, too terrified to move. He felt something slam into his side and force him to the ground, just as the roaring flames sped by him.

"What the… Revy?"

Daniel looked at the woman who had just saved his life, her cigarette now lit by the inferno of the flamethrower. "Don't think I saved your fucking ass out of compassion or some shit. I'm still gonna beat the shit out of you when this is over." She growled, rolling off Daniel. "Now kick that Columbian fucker's ass."

Daniel stood up, the high explosive shot now loaded in his pistol. His heart was in his throat as he pointed the pistol at the heavily armoured gang boss standing in front of him, a shocked expression on his face and the wrist mounted flamethrower spent.

"How my parents would love to see me now." Daniel snorted as he pulled the trigger.

The explosive spiralled through the air at the Columbian gangster. His expression turned from shock to fear as the shot sped towards him. When it impacted, the explosion rocked the boat and the waves beneath it as Juan was knocked into the sea, screaming as he hit the crystal blue waters.

Daniel fell onto his back and looked up at the sky. It was blue. Shockingly blue. An accursed, mocking blue. The very same blue that shone down on the day he found himself forced into Roanapur.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was back on the Black Lagoon, drinking a beer for the very first time in his life. It tasted absolutely awful, but he drunk it anyway.

After they knocked Juan into the water, Fabiola and Roberta searched the boat while Dutch attended to Revy's wounds. What the two maids had found was just over six hundred thousand dollars! The two maids took the bulk of the money for Garcia, Lagoon Company had taken a sizeable amount not only for their fee, but also for sustained injuries, damages and something called 'munitions expenditure', leaving Daniel with a sum of six thousand dollars. Just enough to complete his million.

"I finally did it teddy, I've made my million. Now we can go home." Daniel said to himself, setting down his beer. "But first, there's something I have to get out of the way."

Daniel stood up and made his way to the deck. No armour, no rollerblades, no grenades. Just like Revy said. While he was walking through the Lagoon's hallways, he ran into Roberta again, still wearing her maid outfit.

"Hello Roberta." Daniel said. "I'd like to thank you for helping me."

Roberta knelt down so she could look Daniel in the eyes. She smiled. "You're welcome." She said. Her eyes were no longer cruel, there was no malice. Her voice was soft as well, like she and that woman that interrogated him were entirely different people. "Are you nervous about your fight?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't." Daniel said. "Lying or stupid."

Roberta smiled. "Just remember, just because she's wounded doesn't mean she won't give it her all. Don't block, just dodge. Short sharp jabs to unbalance her, then a good punch to the jaw will finish the job."

"Thanks Roberta." Daniel said. "I can see why Garcia likes you."

Daniel walked until he made his way above deck. The Lagoon was sitting still in the water. Dutch and Benny had gone all out and set up a makeshift boxing ring. They had also set up some beach chairs and a table and were laying back, an ice cold beer in each of their hands.

"This aughta be a good fight." Dutch said.

"Sure, one homicidal maniac against a teenager." Benny said. "I know who I'm placing my bets on."

"I'm sure Hermes will do just fine." Fabiola said.

Revy was sitting in the corner of the boxing ring, a stub of a cigarette in her mouth. A grin spread across her mouth when she saw Daniel. Her knee was in a medical brace and surrounded by ice packs. "Hey brat. You ready for the ass whuppin of your life?"

"As I'll ever be." Daniel said as he entered the ring.

"Hey Benny, the contestants are here." Dutch said. "Time for you to do your thing."

"Alright. But you're buying when we go to the Yellowflag after this." Benny said, getting up from his comfy beach chair and hitting the button on a cassette tape player. (Just to add some atmosphere while you read. watch?hTWKbfoikeg )

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for!" shouted Benny like the announcer at a boxing ring. "In the red corner we have the newcomer, Daniel 'Hermes' Harkness! In the blue corner we have the house champ, the undisputed powerhouse of Roanapur, give it up for Revy!"

"Come on Benny, quit dicking around and ring the damn bell!" shouted Revy, a new cigarette between her teeth.

"Alrighty, here we go!" Benny shouted, bringing the hammer down on a boxing bell.

Revy was the first to move, despite her shattered kneecap. She lunged at Daniel, but he was quick enough to just get a glancing blow to the shoulder. Revy wasn't giving up however and followed up with a quick one two punch to Daniel's chest. Daniel coughed and staggered backwards as Revy was lining up a wild haymaker to his head.

Ducking under the vicious punch Daniel made a quick jab at Revy's gut, but it was like punching a wall, with roughly the same results. Revy kicked Daniel in the side and sent him sprawling.

"Damn, that's gonna be one hell of a bruise." Dutch said, lighting a cigarette.

"Hey, isn't this supposed to be a boxing match?" Fabiola objected.

"Who the hell said this was boxing?" Benny asked.

Daniel scrambled to his feet just in time to take another punch to the chest. Daniel hit the ropes and evaded around a vicious kick from Revy. Daniel tried for another punch at Revy's chest, but her hand was quicker. She snatched Daniel's fist out of the air and dragged him into her unbroken knee, the breath rushing from Daniel's lungs and sending spittle flying from his mouth.

"Come on little brat, fight back why don't cha?" Revy asked, pushing Daniel back against the ropes. She stood, her arms raised at her sides in a cheeky shrug, that same vicious grin on her face. "What, can't hit a girl?"

Daniel sucked in a breath and balled up his fists, raising them in front of himself. Jabbing at Revy's neck twice, she leaned out of the way of both strikes. But Daniel managed to sneak in a vicious uppercut. Daniel's fist connected hard with Revy's jaw. Revy stumbled backwards, clutching her jaw as Daniel untangled himself from the ropes.

"Evidently not." Roberta chuckled.

Revy looked at Daniel with a glare of pure hatred, one that was returned by Daniel. Revy spat on the deck, a swirl of red mixed with the spittle. Revy charged at Daniel, who put up his fists against Revy. Revy threw the first punch, but Daniel moved out of the way. He wasn't about to let Revy hit him with a powerful punch.

What Daniel wasn't counting on was the heavy boot slamming into his side.

Daniel felt himself get lifted off his feet and hit the deck at the other end of the ring. As soon as he got up Revy punched him across the jaw. Daniel stumbled backwards, dazed and confused. When he regained his vision, he tried to go on the offensive against Revy. Trying for a haymaker at Revy's still smirking face, he was surprised when Revy didn't move to dodge or block his attack. When Daniel's fist hit Revy's face, she grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from her face.

"I'm really fuckin' disappointed in you. A punch that piss weak couldn't kill a fucking ant, let alone hurt me." She spat the cigarette into Daniel's face.

Dragging Daniel closer to her, she went behind him and put her arm around Daniel's neck, slowly squeezing the life out of him. Daniel clawed at Revy's muscled arm, trying to tear her off. Just when he felt that his lungs were about to burst, Revy released her hold on Daniel and pushed him to the ground. Daniel scrambled to his feet and turned around, breathing heavily. His vision wobbled and faded in and out of focus. He was barely able to keep his footing.

"Come on Revy, quit playin' with the kid!" called Dutch.

Revy walked towards the barely standing Daniel and pushed him to the ground. Daniel looked up at Revy, who was cracking her knuckles.

"Here's a little something to remember me by." She said.

"Quit gloating and do it." Daniel spat.

Revy's grin grew wider as her fists grew tighter. "Happily."

Revy's fist blurred with speed as it crashed into Daniel's face. The world went black as Daniel thudded to the ground as darkness seeped into his vision before turning his world black.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel woke up below deck of the Black Lagoon. He touched lightly at his face, feeling the bruise left by Revy's knuckles. Sitting up, he discovered the hard way that he had several nasty bruises where Revy kicked him. Daniel got to his feet and off the bed.

Opening the door, he saw the Japanese businessman about to reach for the doorhandle.

"You woke up quickly." He said. "I didn't expect you to be awake for at least another hour."

"Adjusting to an all too common situation I suppose." Daniel shrugged. "What can I do for you?"

"Well I just came down to see if you were okay, but we're almost back in Roanapur." Rock said. "Though it looks like Revy's punch really did a number on you, huh?"

"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen my own face." Daniel said. "Got a mirror?"

"There's one in the bathroom. But there is something I want to talk to you about."

"Vanity can wait. What do you want to know?" Daniel asked.

"I once knew a girl who said I stood in the twilight. Between the light of the normal world and the darkness of a life of crime. From what I've heard about you, you're like me. You stand in the twilight." He explained. "She also told me that it was impossible to stay in the twilight. One has to pick a side."

"Well that's just plain stupid." Daniel said.

"What?"

"What kind of narrow minded person thinks the world could be that simple?" Daniel asked. "The world is a confusing mess of morals and self-contradictions. Everything's just in different shades of grey. I mean, looking back, even the pirates that killed everyone on the boat I was on, including my parents. They were all skin and bones. Their clothes were barely held together and even their guns were rusty and ancient looking. They were probably forced into doing those kinds of atrocities by desperate situations."

"It's funny that you try to rationalise something that horrific." Rock said.

"It's a coping mechanism." Daniel shrugged. "I'm not some stupid naïve kid. At least, not as much as I used to be. I shudder to think what happened to most people in Roanapur. Especially Revy."

Rock looked at Daniel in surprise. "You know she'd kill you if she caught you trying to pity her."

"Pity and sympathy are different things. Pity implies you are greater than the person you pity. For that woman to go through horrors I can't even begin to imagine and is still able to smile, even in that twisted and vile way she has… It's just a testament to her strength as a person. I doubt I'd be able to even cope if I was forced into the same situations as her."

Rock sighed and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and put it to his lips. "You've got wisdom beyond your years Daniel." He said, flicking open his lighter. "And don't worry. The bruising's not too bad."

"Thanks Rock." Daniel said.

Down the hallway and around the corner, Revy had her own cigarette in her mouth, ash hanging off it like thousands of leaves on a thin branch. Flicking the cigarette away, she walked down the corridor into the darkness, her blood soaked boots clanging softly against the worn metal.

"I fucking hate that little brat."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel was back at Garcia's hideout with Roberta and Fabiola.

"Thank you for everything Daniel." Garcia said. "I'm sure after this, we can both put this city of criminals behind us."

"Wait, the Lovelace family isn't a crime family?" Daniel asked.

"Well, no. What gave you that idea?"

Daniel glanced at Roberta, who gave him a harsh look. "But why did the Columbians kidnap you? Juan said you were responsible for taking over his drug fields."

"The young master gave the police a tip off so they'd remove the cartel's presence." Roberta explained. "After the police destroyed the cartel's operation in Venezuela, Garcia claimed the land and had built public service buildings and better housing. Thus removing the cartel, giving citizens happiness and thanks to the Lovelace family. When we have that, the Lovelace family may become a greater political part of Venezuela once more."

"But why did you want to recruit me?" Daniel asked. "And why did you get kidnapped?"

"Well, honestly I just thought I would be able to help you. Give you a place to be able to go." Garcia said. "A home."

Daniel looked at Garcia with surprise. "Really?"

"Well, that and I felt that I might need some more guards. Kidnapping seems to happen to me a lot." Garcia said.

"Trust me, I know the feeling." Daniel said, again glancing at Roberta. "But that still doesn't answer why you got kidnapped."

"I'm sure you've heard that the Columbians learned that the young master was the one who tipped off the police. Not to mention the Lovelace family has had a rather poor history with the Columbian cartel as is." Fabiola said.

"Well… that's a bit awkward." Daniel said. "Sorry about that Garcia."

"I still can't believe you thought we were a crime family." Fabiola huffed. "Honestly, some people."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel rollerbladed his way back to the apartment, his combat helmet dangling in his hand, his broken goggles set on the top. The final few thousands were in his bag, and he couldn't help smiling, despite the pain caused by his bruises. He'd won the game. He'd actually done it. He'd played his cards right. He'd folded when he needed to and his bets were just high enough. He'd won. Now all he needed to do was cash in and leave the giant casino that was Roanapur.

Eventually he arrived. Walking up the stairs, he gripped the door handle and pushed it open.

"I'm home guys. Hope I'm not too late." He said.

"My goodness Daniel, what on earth happened to you?" asked the voice of Balalaika, almost causing Daniel to die of a heart attack.

"C-Capitan?!"

Balalaika was sitting at the dinner table, a teacup in her hand along with Sawyer, Shenhua and Lotton. From what Daniel could see, there weren't any of her soldiers around either. Not even Boris was present.

"A bit of a mix up in a job." Daniel said, closing the door behind him. "I got into a fight with Revy, but I'm fine. Really. Hell, I'm probably happier than I've ever been."

"You got into fight with Twinkie?! What the hell is wrong with you?" Shenhua asked. "You have devil's luck little boy. Twinkie kill you if she really wanted to."

"How did the fight go?" Lotton asked.

"Badly." Daniel said as he sat down. "It's a surprise to see you here Capitan."

"I decided it might be interesting to see how you were doing without my assistance." Balalaka said, taking a sip of a cup of tea. "It seems that you had another run in with Lagoon Company."

"You could say that." Daniel said.

"But I've also heard some troubling news. The head of the Columbian cartel has washed up on one of Roanapur's beaches, half dead. It's rumoured that he refuses to answer any questions about the rumours that the Lovelace family maids have returned to Roanapur. You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with these troubling rumours, would you Daniel?"

"Well they're not exactly rumours." Daniel reported. "I was hired by the Columbians to transport a package. That package turned out to be a kidnapped Garcia Lovelace."

"Why on earth would those Columbians make the same mistake twice?" Balalaika asked.

"Apparently Garcia's planning on returning the Lovelace family to political prominence by establishing loyalty among the people and removing the cartels located in Venezuela." Daniel said. "He's done so by tipping off the police and other law enforcement of cartel activity."

"Has he now?" Balalaika asked. "Well it's just fortunate for me that my organisation hasn't had much interest in Venezuela anyway."

Daniel nodded. "After that I was picked up by Lagoon Company. Things got a little hairy and I wound up on Garcia's side. Garcia felt a great injustice had been done to him and demanded recompense from the Columbian cartel. As we found out, they weren't about to accept Garcia's demands. So I was hired to assist the two maids in claiming the recompense."

"Which resulted in the shootout on the Flying Guppy?"

Daniel nodded again. "I didn't think Juan would have made it out of that alive. Guess foresight isn't that rare in Roanapur."

Balalaika cracked a smile before lighting a cigar from her coat. "So after that you fought with Rebecca?"

"Who?"

"Revy 'Two Hands' is what people usually call her."

"Is that her actual name? Huh. How 'bout that." Daniel said, nursing his bruises. "But yeah. I lost pretty badly as you might guess."

"I see. Well I hope it doesn't hurt too much. But I am concerned as to what happened to those poor Columbians." Balalaika said, staring through Daniel with her cold piercing blue eyes.

"After all the smoke and noise had cleared, the two maids checked over all the bodies and found that the only casualties were the ones Revy had killed. Even Juan, who we thought might not have made it, turned out alive in the end."

"I see." She said, tapping ash from her cigar. "But that still doesn't change the fact that you were almost involved in another mass killing. I thought Mister Chang had banned you from that sort of thing."

"Well… I suppose that is true." Daniel said. 'Damn it, how am I going to get out of this one?'

"But," Balalaika said, breathing out a cloud of cigar smoke. "I might be able to strike your name from the record. For old time's sake."

"Y-you will?"

"Don't worry Daniel, Chang won't know that you were involved in the slightest. But I do have one last question. What happened to the Lovelace maids and their master?"

"They've left Roanapur already. They're probably halfway back to Venezuela by now." Daniel said.

Balalaika sighed and stood up. "Thank you Daniel, that's all I needed to know."

As Balalaika moved to the door, Daniel stood up and snapped a salute. "Thank you Capitan. For everything."

Balalaika glanced back at Daniel and gave a small smirk. "You're saluting with the wrong hand. But I appreciate the gesture."

The door closed behind Balalaika and Daniel sat back down. Sawyer was staring at him with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"What are you looking at me like that for?"

"Told you… so."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

"And that," Hermes finished. "Was my last job in Roanapur. After that I made my final goodbyes and organised my travel tickets. There's this nice house on the Gold Coast I've had my eye on for a little while."

Bao was asleep on the bar, a half empty bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in his hand. Daniel snickered and found a napkin and a pen. Writing a note for the tired barkeeper, he stood up and skated out the door.

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Bao woke up with the mother of all headaches. He looked at the bottle in his hands then placed it back up on the shelf and marvelled at the fact that they were all still there! After that Bao turned his attention back to his bar. Wiping his drool off the bar with a cloth he found, he spotted a napkin on the bar. Picking it up and looking at it closer, he saw a message on it. It read:

'Thanks for listening to my story. See ya 'round Barkeep. -Hermes'

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

That note wasn't just addressed to Bao guys. I'd like to extend a TITANIC thanks to all the people who read and reviewed Hermes, Messenger of Roanapur's Gods! You guys are absolutely fantastic!

This is by far and away the best fanfic I've written, and it's easily the fanfic I've had the most fun writing. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and followed my work! Seriously though, I can't thank you guys enough. All of you have given me so much support, so much praise, it's almost unbelievable!

But be sure to stick around until after the credits, because I've got one last chapter for all of you…

With love,

-The Snazzy Hat


	10. 10 Years Later

Daniel woke to the sound of his alarm clock ringing. Groping for the source of the irritating noise, he slammed the off button with his hand and sat up in his bed. It had been roughly ten years since his brief stint in Roanapur, and boy was he glad he'd left.

Daniel was now the proprietor of the Hermes Mail and Package Courier Company, the fastest and most effective team of couriers in the whole of Sydney. Speaking of the city, Daniel had used his amassed fortune to purchase a reasonably sized house within a fair distance of Sydney's Gold Coast, a vast stretch of beach with beautiful and clear waters, swamped by badly dressed tourists most of the year. After he'd set up his business and purchased his house, it seemed that everything just dropped into place.

Daniel got up out of bed and donned his favourite polar bear slippers and dressing gown and descended from the second floor bedroom to the kitchen.

"Morning Daniel." Said a woman with fiery orange hair, porcelain skin and a warm smile dressed in a casual looking summer dress. She was sitting at the dinner table, a piece of toast in her hand and the morning paper in the other.

"Good morning Molly." Daniel said, stretching and yawning. "So what's for breakfast today?"

"Whatever you make of it." She said in her thick Scottish accent, returning to the newspaper.

Smiling, Daniel got himself a bowl of cereal, poured in some milk and started breakfast.

"Any word from the office?" Daniel asked.

"I thought this was supposed to be your day off?"

"It is. That's why I don't want anyone calling to drag me back to the office!" he laughed. "Can't have work getting in the way of our family day, now can we?"

"Speaking of which, where might our darling daughter be?" asked Molly, looking around exaggeratedly. A barely concealed giggle made its way out from under the wooden kitchen table as a small girl bolted out from under it, laughing hysterically all the way.

"I think I've found her!" Daniel said, giving chase. "C'mere, I'm gonna getcha! I'm gonna getcha!"

Daniel picked up the small girl just below the arms and hoisted her up into the air, laughing along with her.

"Daddy, put me down!" she laughed.

"Okay Holly, I've had my fun." Daniel chuckled, setting his daughter down on her chair at the table.

"It's so nice to see you two getting along." Molly grinned. "Sometimes I can't help but feel like I'm the mother of two children."

"Isn't that why you married me?" Daniel asked.

"Oh just go and get dressed." She chuckled.

Daniel walked back up the stairs and went to his study, where he'd laid out his clothes. As he was donning his clothes, he checked up on his emails. Lotton, Shenhua and Sawyer had sent him another email detailing how things were going for them in Roanapur. Daniel had made sure to keep in contact with at least them and, even though he'd only lived with them a short while. He hadn't heard from Balalaika, Chang, even Giovanni had respected his wishes to leave Roanapur. He hadn't heard anything about Juan either. The Lovelace family sent him the occasional holiday email, but they usually kept to themselves. The only person in Lagoon Company he kept in touch with was Benny and he, Lotton, Sawyer and Daniel played a new thing called an MMORPG when they weren't working or, in Daniel's case, spending time with family.

After Daniel had checked his email and gotten dressed, he descended the stairs.

"Alright, are we all ready?"

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel, his wife Molly and their five year old daughter Holly were walking by the beach, enjoying the scenery. Holly was enjoying an ice cream, as was Daniel. Holly held onto Daniel's free hand as they walked along the concrete path near the beach.

"Can we go to the beach Daddy?" Holly asked, taking a moment from devouring her ice cream.

"Did you remember to bring your swimmers?" Molly asked, earning an enthusiastic nod from Holly.

"Well you're awfully lucky that your mother brought her swimmers aren't you?" Daniel said with a smile.

"Yay! You're the best daddy!" Holly cheered, dashing off towards the beach after wolfing down the rest of her ice cream.

"I wonder where she gets all that energy from." Molly chuckled warmly, following the bolt of orange racing towards the waves.

Daniel casually strolled along the path until he saw a black car with tinted windows trundle past. Normally Daniel wouldn't be fussed, but he just so happened to catch a glimpse at the numberplate.

CHANG1.

Daniel froze in his tracks and stared at the car as it rolled away. Eventually it disappeared around a corner and Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Honey? What's wrong?" asked Molly from the shore.

Daniel looked at his darling wife and their gorgeous daughter. He remembered what Mister Chang had said to him that night on his birthday.

'Roanapur isn't just a city. It's like a shadow… It'll catch up to you… Do you really want to force that on your family?'

Daniel turned and looked at his family and smiled.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Daniel sat watching the TV after the day he'd had with his family. It had been a good day other than the sighting of Mister Chang's car. He was scanning the various news channels for any criminal activity, but he saw nothing. But then again, Daniel had learned that mainstream media wasn't exactly the best way to get information.

Flicking off the TV Daniel was about to head off to bed when he heard a knock at the door. Daniel froze and waited to see if the person at the door would knock again. Three loud knocks came from the oak door of Daniel's home. Nervously making his way to the door, he opened the door slightly to reveal a grinning Mister Chang.

"Hey there Daniel. You're looking well." He said politely. "You also look like you were expecting me."

"You really need to change that numberplate of yours. What are you doing in Australia?" Daniel asked, opening the door wider.

"Well I was wondering if we could discuss that over coffee or something."

"Of course. Not like me to disrespect an old friend. Come on in." Daniel said, inviting Chang into his house.

"Well, well. Looks like you put that million bucks to good use." Chang said, sitting down on the couch. "This place is some prime real estate."

"It was a bit of a fixer-upper when we bought it."

"We?"

"My wife, Molly." Daniel said, sitting down on the couch across from Chang. "It was one of the best days of my life when I met her."

"I bet it was." Chang said. "Anyways, I suppose I should tell you why a little piece of Roanapur has dropped back into your life."

"The thought had crossed my mind, yes." Daniel said.

"After the events of what happened at the World Trade Centre, the CIA went nuts. Normally that wouldn't fuss anyone in Roanapur. Hell, it might make a few people start cheering. But then something nobody wanted to happen occurred. The Rip-Off Church picked up sticks and moved out."

"Why? Roanapur was their biggest source of income."

"Beats me, but they got out of there just in time. After that, almost every other major player in Roanapur starts leaving. And as soon as I heard the news I had the Triad get the fuck out of there as well."

"Why, what was about to happen?"

"Roanapur's been bombed." Chang said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Every building completely flattened. Those who were too poor or stupid to leave got obliterated by the bombs or crushed by falling debris."

Daniel was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Who did it? And how the hell were they able to cover up something like this?"

"My best guess? The US. Since this stupid 'War on Terror' started, everybody in Roanapur started getting tense. America probably knew all about Roanapur. It was only a matter of time before they decided to nuke the fuckin' place."

"They didn't actually drop a nuke, right?"

"Of course not! That'd be impossible to cover up, even though that's one of the US' strongest points." Chang chuckled.

"But that still doesn't explain why you're in Sydney." Daniel said.

"Well before I tell you that, let me tell you a few things first. Now I'll warn you right now, what I have to say may shock and horrify you. It goes all the way back to when you first entered Roanapur."

Daniel considered this before leaning forward, his head resting on his fist. "Go on."

"On that cruiser you were traveling with your parents on, there was a man carrying something that was vitally important to me. Something that I had to kill the guy to get. Now as Lagoon Company was not operating that day due to both their gunslinger and negotiator in a Bacardi induced coma, I had to hire some no name pirates. I gave them the simplest of jobs, but they just had to get greedy…"

"Wait, you mean you hired the pirates that killed my parents?! You're the reason I got trapped in Roanapur?!" Daniel shouted angrily.

"I'm not finished just yet." Chang said, looking at Daniel from above his sunglasses. "After you found yourself in Roanapur and Balalaika took you under her wing, I wanted to test you to see if you were trustworthy. Anyone who could survive fifteen different bullet wounds of varying calibre over the course of seven hours must've been some tough son of a bitch. But the moment I saw you, I knew you weren't cut out for a life of crime. But I still wanted to keep you on my side. So I gave you the wad of cash as your first test. If I didn't get it back, then I'd have made you pay me weekly, charging interest and laughing all the way to the bank. If you did have enough common sense not to take a few thousand from a gangster, then I knew you were smarter than the average thug in Roanapur."

"Please, you'll make me blush." Daniel said, rolling his eyes.

"Anyways, there's more to this story. After you did a few jobs for me I began to suspect Fryface was spying on you. My guys couldn't see anyone tailing you, so I suspected your phone might be bugged. And so I organised that whole incident with the RPGs."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up and he leaned backwards into the couch. "Unbelievable. Don't tell me, you were also the person who burned down both of my apartments too?"

"Yeah, that was me. And I was the one who told him that you were the one who tipped off Hotel Moscow."

Daniel felt his anger rising and his fists balled themselves up. "You motherfucking son of a-"

But then he heard soft footsteps descend the stairs. A sleepy eyed Holly in her pyjamas was rubbing her eyes, her giant stuffed rabbit named Mister Pookie half carried, half dragged in one arm.

"Daddy, who is that?" she yawned.

Daniel got up from his chair and scooped his daughter up. "He's a… He's an old friend of mine. Come on, let's get you to bed."

Holly was already fast asleep in Daniel's arms and he smiled. Daniel turned back and glared at Chang, who had a faint smile on his lips.

After Daniel put his daughter to bed, he returned to Mister Chang who continued with his story.

"So after that, it was pretty simple. I still felt I couldn't really trust you after what happened with the Broken Barstool and the whole Italian Massacre. But you were useful to me, and you hadn't wronged me directly. But then things got a little iffy when Carlotta came into the picture."

"Please don't tell me that was another test." Daniel said, clutching his head.

"Well, it wasn't planned if that's what you're meaning. But I figured I may as well try to make the most of it. I was just lucky she tried to off you before anyone else tried anything. There was actually a betting ring going to see if Carlotta would hunt you down or not and if you would survive. Nobody was banking on you actually surviving. Well, except me."

"It's just one thing after another with you, isn't it?"

"And finally we get to the last bit. Your last job."

"How'd you know about that?" Daniel asked.

"I have an old friend at the Yellowflag. Runs the bar there. He tells me a few things from time to time." Chang shrugged. "Anyways, when I heard that Juan had Garcia kidnapped for the third time that month, I was about to try and send some people to save Garcia and extort a reward from him. Then I found out who was carrying the kid. You. For a while I debated with myself whether I should go ahead with my plan or not, but then I decided that it was easier to steal from you than to straight up murder you. But then I received word that Garcia's maids were back in Roanapur and I decided to cancel on it. I wasn't about to waste manpower trying to fight off a psycho and her teeny tiny counterpart."

"So is that it?" Daniel asked. "You pretty much forced me into Roanapur and then manipulated my life up until the Columbian shootout? I wouldn't be surprised if you bet on me losing my fistfight with Revy!"

"Wait, you tried to fight Revy? Ha! How'd that go?" he laughed.

"Shut up. So what was the point of destroying my respect for you? And you still haven't told me why the Triad is setting up shop in Australia."

"I was getting to that. The Triad is in Australia for a few main reasons. One, it's got a developing underworld, and we want to capitalize on that. Two, it was closer than Hong Kong or China was. As for your second question, it's because I believe that there may be several other organisations who want to have a nice big slice of Australia's growing underworld. Hotel Moscow is expressing particular interest."

"So why tell me all this, Chang?"

Chang looked at Daniel and extinguished his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe. "That's the first time you haven't called me Mister Chang." He said.

Chang reached into his overcoat's pocket and dropped a small stack of money on the table. Daniel picked it up cautiously and fingered through it, counting as he went.

"There's more than two million here! Why are you giving this to me?" he asked, entirely dumbfounded.

"There's a storm coming Daniel. Criminals are fleeing here from all over the world. You don't want to be here when this whole country turns into Roanapur. And from what I've seen from you, what you went through. Hell, what I put you through, you deserve a peaceful life and so does your family."

Daniel looked at the twin million in his hands and back at Chang. Daniel shook his head.

"You really are a difficult person to understand, aren't you Mister Chang? You tell me all that shit and then you give me a small fortune."

"Hey, I just thought you deserved to know the truth." Chang grinned. "So how about you find a nice house somewhere in the country? Rolling hills and a nice view, y'know?"

"Yeah, hills." Daniel said, standing up. "I'm guessing you'll take care of my house and my business in my absence?"

"Of course. Though I hope you don't mind a few changes to the work ethics."

"Well in that case, I think I could do with some country living. Maybe Scotland. Molly's been saying she's been homesick for a while."

Mister Chang looked at his watch and stood up. "Well I'd best be going. There's a few other things I need to take care of."

"It's been good to see you again Mister Chang." Daniel said, showing him out. "Don't get into too much trouble."

"Name one time I did otherwise!" Chang laughed as he walked to his car. "See you 'round kid!"

Daniel closed the door and looked at his newfound gain.

"Hope Molly and Holly are up for a bit of travel."

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

*v*v*v*

Thank you everyone, thank you very much!

Seriously though, I can't tell all you guys how much I've had fun writing this fanfic and reading your reviews. I mean, it's not often words like 'flawless masterpiece' and 'deserves to have an animated movie made out of it, and sold on Blu-Ray!' get thrown around on this site. (THANK YOU TO RAIDEN4019!)

But enough about that. I have finally decided to get off my ass and finish off all the unfinished fanfics under my belt. Believe me, I have a few. (That'll teach me to try and write multiple fanfics at once)

Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and told all their friends. Be sure to read all my other stuff too!

With lots of respect and gratitude,

-The Snazzy Hat


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